Having Fun
by ninetytwochairsonetable
Summary: "Obito was weird. He was different. Perhaps, Kakashi landed in a different reality. A completely different universe, where everything was generally the same except himself and one Uchiha Obito." rated T for language.
1. What the fuck?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this.

I wrote this to just have a laugh. If you're looking for something more serious with a well thought out plot, this probably isn't it. Sorry.

This is a combination of those fics. The one where someone is reborn into Naruto universe, and the one where Naruto character wakes up in the past. Yeah. Like I said, I'm just having fun with this.

This is rated T because I swear a lot. Sorry. Thanks for looking.

* * *

Part 1: What the fuck?

"There goes the weirdo," a student whispered to his friend, pointing and jeering.

Uchiha Obito was different. He was really weird. Had he not been an Uchiha, he would've been only a little weird, but yeah. He was an Uchiha. He was extra weird.

Everyone always stared at him, pointing and mocking, whispering stabbing words in his direction. But Obito didn't mind. He was playing a game. The first student to come talk to him with kind words will get a reward. What kind of reward? He didn't know, but he'll think of a good one.

* * *

Before he was Obito, he loved to play games. This carried over after his second beginning in this crazy, new world. Here, he was Uchiha Obito. He didn't care for what people expected of him. He just wanted to play games.

Obito usually played by himself, since no one wanted to be his friend, but he was completely fine with that. It's not like everyone needed to know what he was doing. It could be a secret game. Like a secret mission.

Sometimes, he entertained the idea his granny encouraged his love of games. When he was just a toddler, she would tell him, "Let's play a game. If you help granny with three things, granny will give you a reward." It started simple enough. Help clean the floor. Help set the table. Help count the coins. Then, more and more, it involved other people. Help the granny on the third street. Help the elderly through the market. Help the pregnant ladies carry their groceries. Etc. Etc. Obito didn't even mind he was basically being manipulated with the promise of rewards. It was all a game, and he loved games.

He'd make his own games as time went on. How many people in the compound smiled at him that morning? How many people in the streets said hello to him? How many people can he make laugh? On and on, he had fun.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was dead. But he wasn't. That much was obvious. Because the kid was staring at himself in the mirror, clearly breathing and patting his face. Then falling to the floor and trying not to scream. Can't do that as a dead guy.

It wasn't a genjutsu.

No tricks or anything.

Just the world being its normal, fucked up self.

"I'm going insane," Kakashi told himself, "or I'm already insane. I _am_ insane." He peeked over the counter back at his reflection, only to immediately duck his head down. It was going to take awhile to get used to… well, everything.

He had the night to think things through. And he decided, since he had no idea what happened (other than _dying_ ), he was just going to have to deal with it. Whatever it was. He'd deal with it. Right? Right.

* * *

Not right. The moment Kakashi stepped outside, he felt a rush of nostalgia suckerpunch him across the jaw. He wanted to step back inside and forget the world. But he didn't. Kakashi continued marching on like the soldier he was. All the way to academy. Where he almost died. Both literally and metaphorically.

* * *

"Hey, watch out!" random student yelled out to Kakashi, who couldn't particularly focus on anything at that moment. He had just enough instinct running properly to sidestep the stray kunai flying toward him.

"Aaahh, sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to nearly impale you," a familiar voice spoke out. A _very_ familiar voice.

Kakashi was too afraid to face the owner of the voice. He felt himself crumbling at the very thought of seeing _his_ face again.

"Hey, you okay? Didn't mean to scare you so much," the voice said. It was odd. Normally, the voice would sound more genuine and concerned, but it didn't. The voice was loose and careless, like it didn't care if the kunai hit someone. Kakashi took a breath, then another, and turned his head to face the voice.

It was Obito.

* * *

"Uuuhh, you… okay?" Obito waved a hand in front of the boy he nearly hit. He was only playing. He wasn't _really_ going to hurt anyone. Really! Honest! The kunai was super blunt, and he only tossed it. The most it could do was bruise the kid.

Kakashi was startled out of his weird trance-like state when Obito lightly nudged him on the shoulder. "Obito?" he whispered, almost inaudibly. Even Obito, who was actually really close (too close) to him, hardly heard.

"That's me. Where'd you hear me from?" Obito took a step back and smiled. The kid was from his class, but they had never interacted. He probably didn't even know Obito's name beyond "That dumb as hell Uchiha." It was another game of his. How many people could he trick? What did they say about him? About his weirdness? His incompetence? His status as an Uchiha black sheep? His good standing with the elderly? Oh! How about his natural charisma with the orphans and the widows?

Kakashi didn't respond. Eventually, Obito grew bored and left for class, glancing behind him once or twice before disappearing into the building.

* * *

That's Obito? _That?_ No way! Obito's smile wasn't so plastic and practiced. His voice wasn't flat and drawling (It was still irritating, though). That couldn't be Obito. Something was wrong. Really wrong. He'll have to investigate. Yup, that's it. Investigate without his heart bursting.

"Oh, hey. You're here. Thought you were going to spend the whole class time standing outside," Obito whispered. Kakashi had entered the classroom and sat down beside him just before the teacher had arrived.

Obito had heard about the kid around town, and he had gathered some facts and details about him. (Of course he did! He made a point to know about everyone in the academy. Remember their faces, their names, their lives. It was a game to know.) The kid's name was Hatake Kakashi, a prodigy. His father, also a prodigy, sadly deceased. Obito was sure the kid didn't bother learning any of his classmates' names, but maybe not.

"Of course not," Kakashi tersely responded. He didn't want to say much. He might start crying or something. And, oh no, that was Rin in the front. He couldn't face her. Not yet.

* * *

The day ended. Finally. It felt like an eternity to Kakashi. Obito was weird. He was different. His scores were still dismal, in the lower ranks, but everything else? Wrong. All wrong. Kakashi had half the idea of Obito also being sent back in time. That might explain the change, but there was no recognition in his eyes. Unless Obito was an exceptional actor, Kakashi doubted this idea. Perhaps, he landed in a different reality. A completely different universe, where everything was generally the same except himself and one Uchiha Obito. Yeah. Maybe. He'll leave it at that and go to sleep. He deserved the rest.


	2. What's wrong with you?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this.

Yeah. Still having fun. Wondering if I should add another random element. Thanks for looking.

* * *

Part 2: What's wrong with you?

The day started like a normal day. Obito woke up, helped granny with whatever, and left for the academy two hours before it started. He would stroll through the compound, have screaming matches with the cats out on the streets (and ignore the glaring eyes), help open up the candy store, have a reward… The usual. Eventually, he'd arrive at the academy with half an hour to spare. During that time, he'd juggle around some practice weapons and toss them at random students while pretending it was an accident. Then, he'd tally up the different reactions and have a good laugh before going to class.

But that morning was different. When he got to the academy, Hatake came up to him for a chitchat. Which was weird. The only time the kid acknowledged his existence was when he tripped up in class. The kid shot him a nasty sneer before looking away.

"Hello," said the kid.

"Good morning," Obito replied with another smile, like a good fellow citizen. "You want something from me? I got candy, if you want some." He didn't expect a positive response.

"No, thanks." As expected. Obito's smile grew a tad sharper. Kakashi's keen eyes caught the slight change, though he wasn't sure why it had happened.

"Your loss." Obito popped the treat in his own mouth, not particular tasting anything. He was more focused on the odd boy before him. Hatake came up to him to say hello. Was that it? The boy was silent.

"If you don't want anything, I'll be going," he told the boy, about to slip past, but a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

* * *

Kakashi didn't mean to. Mean to what? Well, he didn't mean to wake up (alive) in the past for one, but you can't get all that you want. Sucks, yeah. But he didn't mean to talk to Obito. Kakashi was actually meaning to avoid everyone for the time being, but something was just a bit… _off._ He also didn't mean to stop Obito from slipping away. Now he needed some good excuse. Think, Kakashi! You're a genius!

"You're in the lower ranks in our year." What a great way to start, genius.

"Uuuhhh, yes, yes. I know." At least Obito didn't look all that offended. Which was weird, since normally, he would be. Hm.

"I can help you with that… If you want," Kakashi trailed off weakly. Even he could tell how awkward the whole interaction was. He felt himself on the verge of imploding from embarrassment. Why he was so embarrassed, well… Obito had this knowing grin plastered on his face, as if he knew. Knew what? _Everything._ It was quite unsettling.

* * *

Obito fought off a full on laugh attack. It was all so amusing. This boy, who Obito had brushed off as an arrogant asshat, was offering him assistance. All so very amusing. And possibly entertaining! Obito found a new game.

* * *

As he waited for some sort of response, Kakashi felt a chill crawl up his spine. He had a bad feeling about so many things, he could hardly keep track.

* * *

"Hmmmmm, okay," Obito finally graced the boy with an answer. Hatake looked disbelieving, but whatever. Obito loved games. And in this game, he'll find what little secrets the boy was keeping.

Yeah. Kakashi had a very bad feeling.

* * *

Kakashi knew Obito's bad habits from their childhood. How he would have a too wide stance when throwing kunai. How his wrist curled too much when throwing shuriken. So on and so forth. But this Obito was different (surprise, surprise). His habits were all different. Actually, he wasn't even throwing them properly. He _tossed_ the kunai. Underhand throwing. The shurikens were thrown _overhand_ with an improper grip. Don't even get him started on the senbon. _Horrific,_ honestly. Who the hell was teaching this kid?

"Obito?" Kakashi called for attention. Obito stopped his horrendous throwing, to respond.

"Yes, Hatake-san?" Another weird thing. _Hatake-san?_ What the actual fuck?

"Who taught you how to throw weapons?"

"Well, the instructors did, of course."

"But you aren't throwing like how they teach."

"Ah, well. It was too boring, so I came up with different ways to throw them." Yeah, what?

"Don't you think that maybe, just _maybe_ , your throwing average will go up if you throw them like how they're supposed to be?"

"Oh, you're such a rusty drainpipe!" A what? "How about we play a game?"

If Kakashi wasn't wary before, well now he definitely was. "What kind of game?"

"If my average is better the proper way, I'll give you a reward. If my average is better _my_ way, you'll have to throw like me."

Holy shit, Obito's trying to sabotage his ninja career.

"... What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing?" Obito looked genuinely confused at his question. Finally. A somewhat normal response.

Kakashi couldn't believe how _different_ this world's Obito was. He wasn't certain if this version was better or not. Maybe they're equally as irritating and endearing. Who knew. He'll have to find out. Actually, he doesn't have to, but he will anyway.


	3. How d'you do that?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this. If you see mistakes, feel free to message me.

Still in the academy. They're still having fun. At least, Obito is.

The method Obito uses in throwing his weapons are taken from: Frisbee hammer throw and Underhanded knife throwing.

* * *

Part 3: How d'you do that?

Obito won. Somehow. Kakashi really didn't want to, but that damn kicked-puppy eyed _look_ from Obito crushed whatever endurance he tried to build up. Yeah. Kakashi had to relearn his grips and stances. What a fucking hassle. But… It kept Obito's smile on his face. It was worth it (kind of, Kakashi was still debating).

"That wasn't too bad, right?" Obito was laughing in Kakashi's face. He wasn't actually, but he might as well have.

"... Right."

* * *

After a few weeks of getting used to the different Obito, Kakashi found out some key points. One, Obito loved games of any kind. He probably thought ninja life like some sort of game. Second, Obito was eerily calm. No matter what people said about him, he smiled like they were having a pleasant conversation, though Kakashi had no doubt the child was planning something sinister in his mind. Third, Obito was dangerous. Like, to himself mostly.

Example. During the survival training outing.

* * *

xxx

"Oi, Uchiha," Hiroshi, a classmate, hissed out to Obito.

"What is it?"

"I bet you'll get eaten by a snake on the first day." Kakashi, who was next to them, wondered if Hiroshi thought before they spoke. Chances were, they did not.

"Is that a challenge?" Obito questioned.

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

"Then, I'll bet _I'll_ be the one to eat the snake on the first day. If I win, you have to give me your Super Ninja Battle card set."

Hiroshi, who didn't believe Obito would be able to defeat a snake, accepted the bet.

* * *

On that first day, Obito had recklessly searched every tree and every hole in the ground in search of a snake. The big one, of course. One big enough to eat him. Kakashi had to drag the boy out of many situations that could've been easily avoided.

"Psst, Hatake-san, look over there," Obito spoke lowly, pointing at something in the distance. Kakashi looked and saw a well-camouflaged snake coiled around a thick tree trunk.

"How'd you see that?"

"I have magic eyes." Kakashi glanced over at his friend. Nope, no Sharingan. He must be just dicking around.

"... Okay. What are you going to do now?"

"Obviously, I'm going to kill it."

"Explain."

"I'm going to takes its eyes out with a couple senbon. Maybe that'll take out the brain too, I don't know." Obito, master planner, looked too self-satisfied for Kakashi's liking.

"You're senbon hit average is lower than your kunai average."

"Is that a challenge?"

"NO."

"Hmph, fine. Watch me." Then he proceeded to take out the snake with two senbon. Both bullseye. Somehow. Obito's senbon hit average was twenty percent. And of that twenty percent, his bullseye average was fifteen percent. What in heck?

* * *

With the snake defeated, Obito cut out a nice chunk and raced through the forest, Kakashi trailing behind. They found Hiroshi with their own friends setting up camp. Obito skipped forward, and before anyone could say anything, he shoved the bloody piece of snake meat into their dear classmate's face. Who promptly fainted on the spot. They later found out he was apparently hemophobic.

If there was anything good that came out of that situation, it was that one, Hiroshi's problem was found out before any real trouble happened and two, Obito got his card set.

xxx

* * *

Yup. There were many more situations Kakashi could think of. Obito was truly a hazard to his own person.

* * *

"Hey, Hatake-san. Will you be graduating early? I heard some instructors gossiping about you."

Kakashi did briefly think about graduating early like the first time around, but…

"If you do, I bet you'll be an apprentice. Wouldn't that be neat? Or maybe you'll fill in for a team with a missing member?"

"No. I'll be continuing with academy."

"Oh, how come?"

"It's… It's important to build up strong relationships with the other students." Yeah, that's a good answer. Nice, Kakashi.

"That's good and all, but just a month or so ago, you were the least approachable person in class. I heard Suzuki-san say she'd rather talk to me than you." Oh, wow.

"I had a change of heart." Please don't question him. Please don't question him. Please don't question him. Please don't question him. Please don't question him. PLEASE DON'T QUESTION HIM.

"Okay." THANK YOU.

* * *

Obito could smell a lie from miles away. Hatake was obviously hiding something. He wasn't very good at hiding it, though. Whether that was just his incompetence or because he thought Obito wasn't perceptive enough, it didn't matter. What did matter was that there was a secret bigger than he expected. And Obito wanted to know.

And you know what? If the only way to know the secret was to be best buddies and gain his utmost trust, then so be it. Obito would have the secret AND a best friend. It all worked out!


	4. Why are you doing this?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this. If you see mistakes, feel free to message me.

I don't know what's going on in this anymore. But here. Thanks for looking.

* * *

Part 4: Why are you doing this?

Kakashi never thought the day would come. About to get detention. With Obito. And Gai.

Let's rewind the day just a bit.

* * *

"Hm, hm. You are quite remarkable, Maito-san," Obito had a hand on his chin as he addressed Gai, looking him up and down. Gai had been allowed to enter the academy that term, and since Kakashi was declared his eternal rival, Gai had sought him out. While he was with Obito. Kakashi definitely had a bad feeling about their meeting.

"A-ah, thank you!" Kakashi almost forgot Gai had been a bit of a shy and withdrawn child. Obito's reaction was also not the usual response, so Gai was probably taken aback.

"Hm, yes. Play a game with me?"

Kakashi learned the hard way, nothing good came from that request.

* * *

"Obito-kun, are you sure this is okay?" Gai asked warily. Kakashi wanted to scream.

No, it was not okay to sneak into the teachers' office.

No, it was not okay to steal from the teachers' personal belongings.

No, it was not okay to seal their drawers shut.

No, it was not okay to replace their inks with confetti.

"Yup!" Obito said that with such a happy and cheerful expression that Gai, who was right to be doubtful, had his doubts cleared away. Obito was a bad influence, who knew.

"Obito," Kakashi spoke up, "what exactly are you planning to gain from this?"

"Oh, you know. This and that." A vague response from an irritating boy.

"So what are they?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Honestly, fuck this version of Obito.

* * *

During class, Obito couldn't wipe that grin off his face. He almost burst out laughing at multiple points. Something was up. He did something, but Kakashi didn't know what. What did he do?

Then, he saw it. A string in Obito's hands. And Kakashi witnessed that day, how conniving Obito was.

* * *

The string caught fire. Obito's chakra had lit it up. It burned quick. Too quick. The teacher barely had any time to react. Whatever the string was connected to, it sure did its job. The chalkboard behind the teacher fell. On the teacher. Said teacher was not amused.

"OBITO! !"

* * *

That was how Obito ended up in the teachers' office. Kakashi and Gai had followed just in case something horrible happened (to Obito or the teacher, they didn't know).

"Obito, I know it was you," said the teacher.

"How? How do you know it was me?" asked Obito. Very innocently. It was convincing. It would have convinced Kakashi if he hadn't been an accomplice.

"I saw and smelled the fire."

"It could have been Hatake-san." That asshole was trying to get him in trouble now!

"Kakashi-kun wouldn't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because he's not a troublemaker." Obito's grin slipped minutely, coming back up in an instant. It came back sharper.

"And I am?"

"Yes."

"Hm, fair enough."

"So are you confessing-" The teacher was cut off by Gai stepping inside.

"Sensei! Please, if you are going to punish Obito-kun, punish me too!" he exclaimed. Kakashi stepped inside then.

"Are you going to say you were involved too?" the teacher addressed Kakashi. Well. That was that. He wouldn't abandon Obito like this. When he was about to answer, Obito spoke up.

"Ah, Sensei!"

"What is it, Obito?"

"Did you know it's really hard to become an instructor at the academy, especially during times of war?"

"Wha- Of course I do! I _am_ an instructor here."

"Then you'll know if you get fired, there's almost no coming back, right?" What was he going on about? Obito, what are you doing?

"Are you threatening me or something, kid?"

"No, no! Not threatening. I'll actually do it!" What?

"What?"

"Guess what I found in the secret compartment in the back of your desk!"

* * *

It was porn.

The three didn't get detention. They were let off with a light warning. The teacher, on the other hand, not so lightly. And not a warning. Nope. Fired. Sent off to the field.

Sad.

* * *

"Obito, did you plan all that?" Kakashi asked his friend as they walked toward the Uchiha compound. Kakashi insisted on walking Obito home for some reason.

"Kind of? I just wanted to play a different game for once."

"By the way, how much are you hiding?"

"Hiding what?"

"Your skills. Your abilities."

"Heehee, you are quite keen, Hatake-san. I suppose that's what a genius is like."

"... I bet I'm better at shuriken than you."

"... Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah."


	5. Your what?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this. If you see any mistakes, feel free to message me.

Ah, yeah. Sorry. I forgot about this.

* * *

Part 5: Your what?

"Hatake-san?" Obito had been staring intensely at him for an unsettlingly long time now.

"What is it?" he asked. He almost didn't even want to know.

"Mmmmm, if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I have my reasons. You know that," Obito smiled, vaguely more genuine (and significantly more menacing) than before. After finding out one of Obito's many Super Secret Secrets Only Obito Knows So Far (his words), something about Obito looked… well, for a lack of better words, clear? Less blurry? More natural? Whatever. There was a change.

"I know you have your reasons, but you never told me what they are," Kakashi responded. The Secret he found out was: Uchiha Obito purposely stays in the lower ranks. Kakashi did not know why.

"So? What is it?" Obito looked up with expectant eyes, almost borderline hopeful. Weird.

If Kakashi could have anything in the world, it would be a normal, peaceful life. But his life had taken the course of FUCK so far. There's really no going back at this point.

"I don't know," he settled with the neutral answer. His companion did not look very pleased, but whatever. Obito could suck it up.

"Fine. Then you'll have to settle with whatever I give you," he said.

"What's it for?" Kakashi didn't remember doing anything in particular that would warrant a gift of some sort.

"I'll tell you when I give it to you. But you have to promise you won't say no. You have to take it, okay?"

"Sure…" Kakashi knew right after his answer left his mouth he would regret it.

* * *

"Look over there, Hatake-san. That's our target," Obito nudged his shoulder during break. They were outside, hiding in the trees. Yes, hiding. Obito suggested playing spies.

"Who?"

"Nohara-san." Kakashi's breath tried to crawl back into his lungs, causing him to choke. Obito nearly pushed him off the tree trying to get him to quiet. That rude punk-ass bitch.

"What's with you?" Obito stared quizzically at him.

"Nothing. You have a crush on her or something?" Kakashi redirected the focus away from him.

"No. That's silly." Oh. The Obito in this world did not have a crush on Rin. "She's my enemy." That's… considerably worse than a simple crush.

"...Why?"

"Ah, well, it started like this…"

* * *

XX

First day of academy.

Obito was late, but not that late. Regardless, the instructors wouldn't let him in, closing the doors in his face. It wasn't his fault the grandpa at the corner store took longer than usual to bring out his reward (i.e. two jelly candies). But of course! It was not the grandpa's fault either. Obito was not unreasonable.

"Please let me in?" Obito put on his sweetest smile.

"No. Konoha needs ninjas who are on time. You shouldn't have been late." What an asshole.

"Fine," Obito scoffed at the instructor and walked away. Or so the instructor thought. Obito snuck around to the classroom windows. Luckily, it was his assigned class! Obito was not let in, but he could still listen. No need to waste his time by going back.

* * *

Class was over for the day, so Obito simply stood up, brushed his pants, and began his trek back home. But someone stopped him. It was a girl.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Yeah, do you want something?" he asked, smiling. He had to smile, even if he didn't want to. Granny said smiles were pleasant to look at, and Obito wanted to be a pleasant person.

"Are you an Uchiha? Do you know Uchiha Obito?"

"That's me. Do you want something?"

"Ah, that's great! You weren't in class, so you couldn't pick up the packet. I volunteered to bring it to you," she smiled as well. Obito thanked her and continued his way, waving goodbye at the kind girl.

XX

* * *

"And that's how it happened," Obito concluded his story with a thoughtful nod. It really didn't explain anything to Kakashi.

"She was being nice, so what's the problem?" Kakashi asked.

"That's exactly the problem! Can't you see?" Obito exclaimed.

"No."

"Oh, you are so hopeless, Hatake-san. How will you be a ninja with a mindset like that?" Kakashi wanted to punch the boy beside him.

"Nohara-san is my enemy, because she is kind to me. And everyday, when she sees me, she smiles and says hello. You follow?" Nope, Kakashi did not follow. "She _has_ to have some sort of hidden motive. She's up to something."

Ah. Obito was hardly shown free kindness, so he was cautious. Paranoid. Perhaps the reward system of his games messed with his brain a little.

"Okay. Then what are you going to do about her?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing for now. Just watch. She'll slip up at some point, right?" Probably not. Rin was just a nice girl. Unless this world's Rin was not. Who knows.

* * *

"Do you suspect _me_ to have some hidden motive?" Hatake asked. He looked curious. And worried. Well, he should be.

"Yup!" No need to lie _all_ the time. The lady on the fourth street said liars go to hell.

"O-oh," Hatake faltered minutely. Obito's response was instantaneous. No hesitation at all. "How come?"

"Weeellll, you were such an arrogant asshole before, you know." Heck. "And then suddenly, you weren't. Now you're all chill and actually talking to the class loser. I won't believe you had a dream and had a change of heart overnight."

"Then am I your enemy, too?" Hatake braced himself for an impact that would not come. The boy was just so amusing!

"Nope! You're my friend! Because unlike, Nohara-san, you actively look for me and talk to me and play with me. You free me from my boredom, so you're okay."

Well, that's a relief.

"Besides, _you_ should be the one to be worried, not me," Obito continued. Wait, what?

"What?"

"You're hiding secrets, big and small. I'm going to dig them out, no matter how long it'll take. So, be prepared. _I'm_ going to win this game."

Obito was playing a game with him. For his secrets. Heh.

"You know, if it's you, I wouldn't mind having my secrets dug up," Hatake chuckled. Obito's grin slipped off his face. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting. Hatake broke his expectation.

"You are strange, Hatake-san."

"Coming from you, I should be more worried about that."

"Oh, shush, you."


	6. Don't you know it's optional?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting in any way from this. If you see any mistakes, feel free to message me.

I didn't forget this time. Just been a bit busy. Sorry. Hope you enjoy this update.

* * *

Part 6: Don't you know it's optional?

"Uchiha, how can you be so carefree all the time?" another classmate, Tadano, confronted Obito one day before class began. "Do you think this is all a joke? Are you even taking the academy seriously?"

"Of course it's not a joke! Do you play games as a joke?" Obito retorted. Kakashi thought it was a dumb response, to be perfectly honest.

"Game? A game? Do you think the academy is a game? That ninjas are _playing_ a _game?"_ Tadano was getting more and more agitated by the second. Obito was… smiling. He was playing yet another (foolish) game.

"Not really. But what's wrong with having fun?"

* * *

Nohara Rin watched from her seat near the front of the classroom. She saw Tadano Taka approach Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi. Taka was loud enough for the entire class to hear. He did have a point, though. Obito never seemed to take anything seriously.

She knew Taka had an explosive temper, but she really didn't think he'd punch Obito across the jaw during that moment.

* * *

"Taka-kun!" Rin shouted. Kakashi was too surprised at a). Obito dramatically falling to the ground and b). Rin's voice to do much other than stand there looking like an idiot.

"Ah, Rin-chan!" Tadano was getting flustered.

"What, is that your girlfriend telling you off?" Obito taunted, cackling out a short laugh.

"W-what!?" Obito took advantage of Tadano's state of whatever state he was in to kick the kid in the stomach.

The teacher walked in at that moment.

"OBITO!"

* * *

"I heard you were a troublemaker, but I didn't think you'd attack your classmate," said the teacher.

"I was only retaliating," Obito answered.

"Even so, you shouldn't attack your comrades."

"But Tadano-san was-"

"No excuses, Obito-kun. You shouldn't ever hurt your friends."

"He's not my friend."

" _Obito."_

"... You're going to punish me."

"I'll let you go with a simple detention. There better not be a next time."

"You're going to punish me but not Tadano-san?"

"According to Taka-kun, you provoked him first."

"Because I'm a troublemaker."

"Do you understand now?"

"Hm, yes. I understand that Tadano-san is a liar, and Mizushi-san said liars go to hell."

* * *

"So," Kakashi began.

"So?" Obito prompted.

"You're stuck with cleaning the first floor classrooms for the whole week?"

"Yup."

"Why so long?"

"Sensei didn't like what I said about Tadano-san."

* * *

Obito insisted Kakashi to not wait for him to finish. So Kakashi went about his day without a friend. Until Rin came up to him.

"Ah, Kakashi-kun. Do you have a moment?"

* * *

Having her near him, breathing and so clearly alive, was… scary. It just was.

"Erm… What do you want to talk about?" he asked. And cringed because it came out super awkwardly. Rin didn't pay it any mind.

"You're Obito-kun's best friend, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess so." Obito didn't seem to have another friend other than Gai. Kakashi was like that, too.

"I never really talked to him, because something about him always made me too nervous to. But you're his friend so you know him well, right?"

"To an extent." Kakashi didn't know this Obito too well.

"Um, I wanted to ask for a favor. To just, look after him." Huh?

"What do you mean?"

"It's nothing weird, I promise! I just, it's- When I first met him, he was sitting outside the classroom. He looked so lonely and so sad. And everytime I saw him, he was always by himself. And, I guess I just became worried about him." Rin was a kind girl.

"And you couldn't befriend him, because he made you nervous," Kakashi inferred.

"Yeah. I know. That's just a bad excuse, but…"

"No, I understand." Obito did give off a weird vibe. Gai wasn't too bothered by it, though, Gai wasn't bothered by things like that.

"Thank you, Kakashi-kun. You're nicer than you look." Hahaha. Ouch.

"Ah, Rin? You should join us for lunch tomorrow."

* * *

Obito sat on the grass staring at Rin. Just staring. Not even eating his lunch. Only staring. Rin was getting more and more anxious. Even Gai looked like he wanted to leave the strange atmosphere.

"Obito, Rin. Rin, Obito. Let's eat," Kakashi wondered if he made a mistake, but…

"Ah, the enemy has infiltrated." Obito's calm response was pretty funny.

"E-enemy?" Rin choked on rice.

Yup. They were both pretty funny. Something this funny couldn't be a mistake.


	7. What's the price?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. There is no profit in this for me. If you see any mistakes, feel free to tell me.

Excuse this time? I'm still busy. I might not update for a few weeks. Just finishing up the school year. Sorry this part is so short. I didn't know what to write.

* * *

Part 7: What's the price?

"Heeheehee, look here, Nohara-san, Hatake-san," Obito grinned widely as he showed off a piece of paper in his hand. It was his progress report.

"Ah, good work, Obito-kun! Looks like your class rank went up a few spaces," Rin beamed at Obito's supposed growth. Kakashi only side-eyed him, which went ignored by its target.

"I'm going to celebrate with Granny tonight. She'll be really happy, you know?" Obito carried on, clearly satisfied with his false progress.

Normally, Obito wouldn't declare such trivial things had it only been Kakashi as his audience. But Rin was there, and Obito was trying his best to make her feel welcome (for reasons unknown). In his mind, acting childish and naive was the way to go. Not that Kakashi was complaining. It seemed to be working better than when Obito only smiled and greeted her. That actually made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

* * *

"Ack, Obi-chan! Don't go in!" someone yelled out to Obito as he approached his flat. It was Ichiro, the kind neighbor who worked at a nearby restaurant.

"Ichi-san? Is something wrong?" Obito asked. He really wanted to show his "improving" grades to Granny. She'd be so happy. Obito wanted to make her happy, because Granny was important to him.

"Ah- Ah- You haven't heard yet, right? Aahh, you haven't heard…" Ichiro was panicking. He was always a rather nervous man, but something felt wrong this time.

"Ichi-san?"

* * *

"Obi-chan, open your eyes," Ichiro-san's gentle voice carried over. They were sitting right next to each other, but his voice sounded far. Obito opened his eyes.

"Ah, ah… I couldn't keep the promise…" What promise, Obito didn't ask. He'd figure it out. Besides, Ichiro would tell him eventually if it was important.

"Obi-chan, can you make a promise with me?"

"What is it?"

"Let's keep this a secret. Just between us. No one needs to know, okay?"

"Okay. Just like a game."

"Yes. Just like a game."

"Can I have a prize?"

"Yeah. Anything. Just tell me and I will get it for you."

* * *

Obito was acting strange. Well, he was always strange, but yeah. He was acting somber and relatively normal that day. That was strange for Obito.

"Obito-kun, are you feeling alright?" Gai asked his friend, worried. But Obito only twitched a smile.

"Of course, I'm fine. Just have a bit of loose thoughts in my mind," he replied. And went back to being silent.

* * *

The entire class could pick up on Obito's lack of energy. Even the teacher looked on edge, though he probably thought Obito was up to something. For once, Obito was not.

No games.

No rewards.

No pranks.

No playing.

Just Obito the student.

* * *

Kakashi could tell Rin wanted to speak with Obito. She was kind. She wanted to make sure he really was fine and offer any sort of comfort if she could. But she was too nervous. Afraid of how Obito would respond.

She was afraid Obito would take back his friendship.

So she did not approach.

* * *

But Kakashi was not afraid (maybe just a little).

Kakashi and Obito walked back home after classes. Rin, unfortunately, still had kunoichi lessons to attend, and Gai's father had picked him up earlier. The two boys walked in silence toward the Uchiha district.

"Obito," Kakashi broke that stillness.

"Hatake-san," Obito mirrored.

"What's up?"

"The sky."

"Ha ha ha. Very funny."

"Heh, you know I am," Obito smiled a bit. It was a small grin, but it reached his eyes a little. Kakashi considered that a win.

"Really. Something happen?" Kakashi pressed on.

"Hm. Ah. Well…" Kakashi let his friend gather his thoughts. Whatever came next, he'd be there as support. That's what friends are for.

"Ah, yes. I lost a game."

"Oh… What game was it?"

"The most important game so far. It was a… heavy loss."

"Obito, why do you play games that have such devastating consequences?" Kakashi didn't know which game exactly Obito was talking about this time, but countless times in the past, Obito had dabbled with life-threatening games.

"If there's no challenge, life would be awfully stagnant, don't you think?"

Kakashi had mixed feelings about that. When he was about to speak once again, a voice called out.

"Obi-chan." The Uchiha standing by the compound entrance called out. Judging from the familiar way he called to Obito, he must've been close.

"Ah, Ichi-san. Hatake-san, thank you for walking with me. I'll see you tomorrow." Obito looked tired. Weary. Haggard.

"Yeah, see you." Kakashi had too many words he wanted to tell his dear friend. He simply did not know which ones to say.

* * *

Next day, Obito was back to his normal self. Playing games, smiling and laughing, juggling weapons like no big deal. It was a startling difference.

Obito did not ever mention which game he lost.

* * *

note: How was Uchiha Ichiro? I'm wondering if I should flesh out his character a bit more and have him be a recurring character.


	8. It was that simple?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not profiting from this. If you see any mistakes, please to tell me.

Hi, I just finished the school year just yesterday and wrote something really quickly just now (so no edit was done). I'm back with more bullshittery. There's also a poll up right now regarding a couple past, finished works. Go check that out. If you want. Thanks for sticking with me, y'all.

* * *

Part 8: It was that simple?

When Obito had tentatively extended a hand toward her with a straight face, Rin was very confused. Then the boy she wished to be friends with formally introduced himself as "Uchiha Obito from the great Uchiha clan where kitties and sunshine sleep," before giving a small, hesitant smile.

"I'm sorry for calling you the enemy before. I've mistaken." Rin took a glance to her right at Kakashi. He only shrugged, suggesting he did not know what prompted Obito's sudden reintroduction.

Regardless of reasons, when Obito offered her his friendship, Rin was the happiest girl alive.

* * *

"Kakashi-kun, why does Obito-kun call everyone by their surname?" she asked her friend one day. Rin and Kakashi, along with Gai, finished their time training together and were currently talking over mochi. Obito had left early, claiming he had some "Super Secret Clan Thing that I Absolutely Cannot Tell You About." That was certainly new, but Obito was weird and slightly impulsive at times. It could just be another game.

"I have been wondering about that too," Gai chimed in.

Kakashi didn't have an answer for them. He never asked in fear of asking too much of things that should not be mentioned. And honestly, with someone as enigmatic as this Obito, who knew what could set him off.

"I don't know," he admitted. Then the group nodded, deciding Obito was just like that, and moved on to other topics.

* * *

It was the weekend, and Kunoichi lessons were finished for the day. Rin was glad it was only a half day. She wanted to walk the early morning streets of the market every once in awhile, and she couldn't do that if lessons dragged on even a couple hours more.

As she inspected a stand full of apples and melons and pears and strawberries, in the corner of her vision, she was an elderly woman struggling with her stand canopy. Rin wanted to move on with her rare day of freedom but…

"Hello, ma'am, would you like some help?" she offered. It was what Obito would do, and he could be a surprisingly good role model.

* * *

The woman thanked her and gave her a pretty green ribbon. Now with a ribbon in hand, Rin walked through the market towards one of the many public parks of Konoha. There, a little boy of perhaps five years stole quick peeks at her. Or more specifically, the ribbon in her hand.

"Do you want this ribbon?" she smiled. The boy ducked his head, cheeks aflame, and nodded his head a short moment later.

* * *

Rin walked the scenic path away from the more populated areas of that district. The trees filtered the sunlight, creating a mosaic of shades on the ground and on her face. In her hand, a two-toned cat's eye marble, a gift from the boy. The marble was beautiful as she held it up to the sunlight. It glistened and shined.

A young couple was walking past when they stopped before Rin. Turned out, they had a small marble collection and wanted to trade something for Rin's marble.

* * *

And now, around lunch time, she arrived at a small restaurant hidden between a few flowering trees. It was a quiet place, and most of the customers, she quickly realized, were ninja.

"Hello, welcome! Seat for just one?" a kind voice called out from what she assumed was the kitchen. Someone poked their head out from the doorway.

"Ah, yes, please. Thank you!" Rin answered. It was lunch time, she was getting hungry, and she liked trying out new food.

Soon after, Rin was seated. She leaned the walking stick the young couple had traded her against the table. A young man walked over to take her order. She thought she recognized him. At least, the man certainly recognized her.

"Hello, can I- Oh! You're one of Obi-chan's friends!" the man smiled.

"Yes. Nohara Rin, nice to meet you, mister," she greeted.

"I'm Uchiha Ichiro. Obito lives with me right now," he said. Ah, she saw this man from time to time. He picked up Obito a few times. They seemed close.

* * *

Ichiro was a soft spoken man with a gentle demeanor. He walked with a limp and his right sleeve was empty. Despite its various scars, his face retained its boyish charm.

During his short break, he sat with her, providing good company with his many stories from before he retired.

"I was a cool Jounin, ya know? And then life just happened, so I had to retire," he spoke with an easy tone that betrayed the trauma lurking behind his eyes. "But it's all good now. Obito is a good kid, and if I was still in the ranks, I wouldn't have time to take care of him."

"Is that so? What about his grandmother?" Rin asked, clearly remembering the fond woman Obito always wanted to impress.

"Ah, ah- she passed away some time ago," Ichiro nervously picked at the table.

"Oh, I'm sorry…"

"It's all good. So, how's Obito doing at the academy? He's kind of a weirdo, but he's a good kid. Really!" Ichiro carried on the conversation, and Rin was thankful.

"I think he's doing very well. He's been climbing the class rank steadily."

* * *

"Uchiha-san?" Rin began.

"Hm? Call me Ichiro! Or even Ichi-san. Obi-chan calls me that," the man laughed.

"Ah, about that. Do you know why Obito-kun calls people by their surname?" she asked. Ichiro took an amused look at her before laughing.

"I'll tell you if you give me that cane ya got there," he had a cheeky grin. Rin agreed since she didn't need the cane, and Ichiro looked like he really wanted it (though he didn't look like he was going to use it for its intended use).

"All right. It's because they never tell him he can call them by their given name!"

What? That's it?

"... That's it?"

"Yup, that's it!" He laughed some more. Rin could only hold her face in her palms.

* * *

"Obito-kun." It was Nohara. Obito paused in his juggling, catching the last senbon with his teeth. Ta Da~!

"Nohara-san, good morning!" he greeted after spitting the needle out. Mizushi-san told him talking with his mouth full was rude and gross.

"Good morning," she greeted him back. "I met Ichiro-san the other day."

"Ichi-san? Did you go to the restaurant he works at? Did you try the fish? It's really good. Ichi-san makes the sauce himself."

"I did, actually. It was really good," she smiled. "And…" Nohara trailed off, so Obito waited patiently. For a minute.

"Nohara-san?"

"Erm, you can call me Rin."

* * *

Rin was a little worried she broke the boy. He didn't really respond, unless blank staring counted as a response.

"Or, uh, any nickname. If you want," she tacked on lamely.

"Good Morning, Friends!" Thank you, Gai, for the distraction.

* * *

The next morning, the usual group of friends were chilling on their usual hangout place (it's just a bench). But that morning, they were missing a member.

"Where's Obito-kun?" Gai asked. Obito was usually the second or third person to arrive at the academy (usually).

"Dunno," Kakashi shrugged. As much as he wanted to, he could not keep constant track of that boy.

"Good morning, friends!" Obito arrived, copying Gai's greeting from the day before.

"Yo," Kakashi held up a lazy hand. Gai waved with great enthusiasm. Rin smiled kinda weirdly.

Obito stood in front of Rin, eyes blazing with… something akin to determination or something. "I've thought long and hard about what you said yesterday. I even had help from Ichi-san about this matter," he said, completely serious.

Rin shifted a little in her seat. Kakashi watched. What was going on? What matter was this?

"And we decided on the perfect solution."

After a dramatic pause, he said, "Good morning, Ririn-chan!"

The two confused boys were only dropped deeper into confusion as the girl thought to herself, 'That's a surprisingly cute nickname.'

* * *

Kakashi would badger Rin for how she got Obito to call her that. She only smirked and said it was a secret.


	9. Were you also sad?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not profiting from this. I did edit this time, but I might've missed some stuff. If there are any mistakes, please tell me.

This part was getting really long. I thought about posting it anyway, but decided to cut it in half. Hope you enjoy. Or not, idk. Thanks for looking.

This was difficult to write. So if anything is weird, confusing, or doesn't make sense, please tell me.

* * *

Part 9: Were you also sad?

Graduation came quickly. Too quickly, Kakashi thought. Academy students were children, but war would not wait for them to grow up. That was how it was.

Kakashi was not looking forward to it.

* * *

"Isn't it cool how we ended up on the same team?" Obito grinned, adjusting his headband, not used to its weight. It was heavier than he thought.

"I suppose it is," Kakashi agreed.

"Maybe our skill sets are compatible," Rin added. At that moment, a sunny man entered the room.

"Hatake Kakashi, Nohara Rin, Uchiha Obito. Are we all ready?" It was Namikaze Minato.

* * *

Nothing much seemed to have changed. They assumed their team roles like fish to water. Very naturally. Obito fit in just as well (maybe better) despite all the differences between the two versions Kakashi knew of.

During their team introductions, Kakashi found out a glaring difference. Obito's dream and goal were not to become the Hokage.

* * *

"So, Obito, what's your dream?" Minato asked his last member. The boy smiled.

"It's a secret," he proclaimed.

"You won't tell us?" Rin asked with puppy eyes. She knew that wouldn't work, but it didn't hurt to try.

"Nope!"

"Not even a little bit?" she persisted. And Obito relented, not unhappily.

"Well," he dragged out, "it has something to do with Ichi-san. But! That's all I'm going to say." Then, as an afterthought, "For now."

"Heh, that's fine. You'll tell us when the time comes, right?" Minato indulged the boy.

"Yup!"

* * *

It was all the same. Nothing had changed. They met up to train and do missions, say goodbye and repeat.

All the same. But Kakashi had forgotten. His soft spot for Obito let him get away with a lot. Minato certainly wouldn't.

* * *

"Obito, stop," Minato's voice rang, loud and clear. All three of his students paused and looked up.

"Sensei?" Obito was confused, as were the other two. Obito didn't do anything wrong, did he?

"Obito, you shouldn't hold back. It's important to be open and honest about your skills with your teammates," said their teacher. Ah. Kakashi had let that slide. Minato would not.

"What do you mean?" Obito feigned ignorance, however lacking the usual playful undertone in his voice.

"I'm sure you know what I mean. You're purposely underperforming. That can be dangerous, especially out on the field."

A frown crossed Obito's face, but he stayed silent. He looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words.

"Obito?" Minato prompted.

"...Fine. I'll do better." Obito admitted defeat.

* * *

After that encounter, life still flowed seamlessly. In fact, it flowed a little better. Then Team Minato took another mission.

It was supposed to be a simple D-rank mission. Help out at one of the agricultural lands. And of course, _something_ goes wrong.

* * *

"Hatake-san, Ririn-chan, wanna play a game?" Obito suggested playing a game, as usual.

"Sure," Rin accepted.

"What kind of game?" Kakashi was wary.

"Let's see who can-" Obito began but was cut off by their client's son.

"Ninjas sure must have it nice, playing games during war," he said. He was quietly watching them work the past half hour, but now he had things to say.

Obito, a bit miffed, answered, "We're still working. What's your problem?"

"Problem? I'll tell you my problem," said the son, gearing up for his monologue. "Ninjas are a waste of space and money. This war? It's a ninja war! And who do you think is paying for it? Us! The civilians! And what do we get in return? A death toll and crippled ninjas coming back to sit around and waste more of our money. So much of our resources are going to take care of you ninjas. If ninjas are _so_ dedicated to protecting this place and its people, then they should stay out there and die fighting!"

All four members of Team Minato were silent. They didn't really know how to react. Actually, three members of Team Minato didn't. Obito did.

"HAH! You think we're playing? Well, you're right. We are playing, but we still get shit done. What about you, civilian? Your hands are still soft, and your skin looks like it's never seen the sun. I heard this farm is going down the shithole, because the children splurge on useless commodities and never-"

" _Obito,_ " Minato hissed, and Obito promptly shut up.

The son was red in the face, spluttering nonsense and excuses. He ended up stomping away.

The rest of the mission, they did not speak much. Obito did not play any games, only finishing his work with heavy swings and rough kicks.

* * *

Team Minato was dismissed for the day. Minato attempted to speak with Obito, but the boy's mouth was shut and he did not want to listen to his superior. Thankfully, Kakashi gave a meaningful glance toward their teacher, trying to convey with his eyes that he will talk to Obito instead. For that, Minato was grateful.

* * *

"Obito, you feeling alright?" Kakashi asked. Obito seemed to barely acknowledge him, aggressively kicking a pebble in their path.

"Just amazing," the child grit out eventually.

"Hey. I'm down for some ramen. Come with me."

"We just ate."

"I'm still hungry."

"You're going to get fat."

"I'm not. Don't worry about me. I'll look this good even thirty years later."

"In your dreams!" Obito was getting into the mood of bantering. That was good enough.

* * *

Kakashi took him to Ichiraku Ramen. Obviously. They sat side by side, waiting for their orders.

"So?" Obito began.

"So?" Kakashi parroted.

"What do you want me to say?" Of course, Obito knew Kakashi's objective. He was by no means dull minded.

"What's bothering you?"

"You're the genius. Figure it out." Obito scowled.

"It's the client's son."

"Yup, you got it."

"Tell me more."

"You're so nosey, Hatake-san. Did Namikaze-sensei put you up to this?"

"Not really. Talk to me. You're my friend, and I'll listen."

"Okay. I'll talk to you… About the process of noodle making!" Aaaghghhhh, Obito, you shitstain.

* * *

"Thanks for treating me, Hatake-san! Next meal will be on me." Obito was in a much lighter mood at least. Kakashi's wallet was also much lighter.

The two boys walked the dark streets of Konoha. Even though it was night, the streets were lively, just not as crowded as during the day.

"I don't agree with what he said," Obito spoke up, referring to the client's son earlier that day.

"Well, he did sort of slander the entire ninja population," Kakashi answered.

"But I can understand where he's coming from."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a ninja war, but everyone gets involved. Maybe calling it a ninja war is a misnomer."

"Perhaps."

"Add in clan politics, civilian councils, and other complicated things like that. No one's safe from politics, _ew._ And even if Konoha comes up as the victor, people will find more things to be unhappy about and fight over."

"I never pegged you as a pessimist."

"I'm only stating the fact."

"..."

"Anyway, this isn't really what you want to hear, is it?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Whatever you want to say, I want to hear it."

"You are such a strange person, Hatake-san."

"Right back at you."

* * *

"Well, thank you for walking me back home. Again," Obito said lightly. "Am I your lover or something?"

"No," Kakashi deadpanned. Obito chuckled before turning to enter the Uchiha compound, then paused and faced his friend. Kakashi peered at him with open curiosity.

"I was really angry, ya know. At what that guy said about the ninjas coming home. That they should die on the front. That the injured are wastes of money and space. But I'm not as angry anymore." Obito gave a nod and retired for the night with a quiet 'good night.'

'Ah. That Ichiro guy is a veteran,' Kakashi thought before heading toward his own home.


	10. Is that a self-imposed mission?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not profiting from this. If there are mistakes, please message me.

Heart: The last bit really could have been better. After cutting the chapter in half, I didn't even think about cleaning up the end. My bad haha.

I got some mixed opinions about Ichiro. Thankfully, no one seems to outright hate the guy. Or idk, tell me if you hate him.

Thanks for looking.

* * *

Part 10: Is that a self-imposed mission?

Namikaze Minato loved his team. They were such good kids! They had little scuffles and troubles occasionally, but compared to other team dramas, his wasn't too bad (if there were any to begin with).

Obito was an odd one. He hid too much, never showing who he truly was at the core. Obito was not honest despite his friendly temperament. He held malice and shrewdness in his eyes. There was an ever present distrust in the way he held himself.

Minato wasn't going to let those get in the way. He didn't want Obito to be so bitter and alone. He tried many times to get the boy to open up (he never did). And if Obito wasn't going to let Minato in easily, he'll just have to find other ways.

* * *

"Ririn-chan," Obito turned to his friend, unusually serious.

"What is it, Obi?" she asked, concerned.

"I don't really know why, but I feel like someone is plotting against me for no reason," he said.

"For no reason?"

"I… I'm not sure. Maybe there is a reason, but I don't know how to feel. It doesn't feel malevolent, but… uh, yeah."

"That's an oddly specific feeling."

There wasn't much to go off other than his intuition, so they dropped that topic. They weren't going to let that weird feeling ruin their stroll.

* * *

"Awwww, you kids are so adorable! How could you keep them from me all this time, Minato?" said by one Uzumaki Kushina.

"Miss, you're smothering me," Rin managed to breathe out.

"Oh, sorry! And my name is Kushina."

"Hello, I'm Rin. That's Kakashi and that's Obito." Rin pointed at her teammates respectively, and the other two gave greetings of their own.

"Hiya, kids! Today's gonna be a special day, 'cuz I'm here to play with you guys!" Kakashi had a bad feeling.

"We're going to play a game!"

"A game!?" Obito stared wide-eyed.

"A game!"

A bad feeling, indeed.

* * *

Fast forward two hours. Team Minato was scattered across the training field. Rin was face down, half frozen in mud. Obito was tied to the underside of a tree branch, distinctly smelling like burnt fish. And Kakashi was…

He was facing down the Red Hot Habanero. Alone. Since his teammates were just watching him and not focusing on getting free to _help him_. He turned his gaze toward the man who basically brought this upon them. Said man was cheerfully whistling a tune, turning a blind eye to their suffering.

You know what, fuck this entire team.

* * *

When it was time to begin their daily missions, their clients took a look at their disheveled appearance and wisely said nothing on it.

* * *

"Ah, Obito, you know Mikoto, right?" Kushina asked the Uchiha child.

"Hm? If you mean the pissant's wife, then yeah. We only talked twice, though," Obito answered. Only Kushina ignored his word choice and barrelled through the conversation.

"Yeah, yeah! Well, I got some things to talk to her about, so can you accompany me to the compound," she grinned. Obito grinned.

"Sure!"

As the two left, chattering happily about whatever crossed their minds, Rin faced their teacher and asked, "Sensei, did you bring Kushina-san to get Obi to open up?"

"She has a way with swaying people," he neither confirmed nor denied her claim.

* * *

"And then, you wanna know what I did to those bastards?" Kushina whispered, secretively.

"Yeah, what did you do?" Obito whispered back.

Kushina straightened to her full height and bellowed, "I GAVE THOSE BRATS A GOOD BEATING! I also gave them matching bald spots." That last tidbit sent Obito into a fit of giggling. Good. Kid looked like he needed to laugh more.

"It's your turn now, Obito. Tell me something from your academy days," Kushina carried on, smiling ear to ear.

"Hmmmm, oh! This one time-" the boy was cut off by a man's voice.

"Obito." It was Uchiha Fugaku.

"Oh, hello, pissant." Laughter nearly escaped Kushina's lungs. Fugaku sighed, resigned to the permanent nickname Obito had given him.

"Hello to you, too," Fugaku answered in a dead voice. "The elders want to see you."

"Okay, thanks. Goodbye, Kushina-san. See you later, pissant." Obito bowed, showing some degree of questionable respect, and left.

"Pfft! Pissant?" Kushina couldn't hold it any longer. Fugaku let out a longer sigh.

"Don't bother asking. Mikoto is home, if you're here to see her," he spoke curtly before leaving in the direction Obito had gone.

* * *

"In the end, Mikoto said she doesn't know much about Obito other than Fugaku lets him off easy," Kushina shared her findings with Minato.

"Well, at least we know Obito has some sort of connection to the Uchiha leaders," he sighed, dragging both hands through his hair. What a troublesome boy Obito turned out to be!

"So, watcha gonna do now?"

"I'm gonna talk to Uchiha Ichiro. He'll probably know more."

* * *

Extra that has nothing to do with much of this story:

 _The first time Obito met Fugaku:_

"Look, Obito. That's Fugaku-sama. One day soon, he will be the clan head," Obito's Granny spoke, causing the boy to turn his attention away from his plush.

There was a tall man with a harsh face and imposing stature. Someone worthy of leading the Uchiha clan to glory. Or that's what most people would see.

Obito saw a man swayed and pushed too easily by the elders and other council members. He saw the vague makings of a yes-man.

Obito and Granny walked over to greet the man.

"Good evening, Fugaku-sama. This is Obito, my ward. Obito, say hello," she said with reverence. Fugaku looked down and attempted a small smile at the boy. The boy smiled back with bright eyes.

"Hello, pissant. Is a good day to walk," the boy had said. Fugaku stood there frozen with a dumb smile. What did the boy just say?

"I beg your pardon?" the man asked.

"Then beg," the boy answered.

* * *

Obito was then required to state a formal apology to Fugaku. Despite all the warnings of the elders and the council, the nickname stuck, and Fugaku was too exasperated to do anything about it.

* * *

note: Honestly, I wrote these parts just because I wanted to explore Obito's personality and personal life.


	11. Who has blue lips, who has red hands?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I'm not profiting from this. If there are mistakes, please message me.

Sorry it's late. I didn't know how to write this part. I'm still not sure how to write it, but here's what I came up with.

I hope you enjoy it, thanks for looking.

* * *

Part 11: Who has blue lips, who has red hands?

"Thank you for meeting with me, Uchiha-san," Minato smiled at the man as he sat down at the table. The man smiled back.

"It's no bother at all, Namikaze-san. I hope you're not here to tell me about all the troubles Obito's caused," the Uchiha replied.

"Ah ha, no, no. I just wanted to ask a few questions. Particularly about his upbringing," Minato said.

"Ah, ah. Yes. Of course, go ahead. I'll answer what I can," Ichiro looked about nervously. He was a naturally nervous man, and the war didn't help him in any way. Minato's reassuring gestures also did little to help.

* * *

"Woooaaaaahhhhhh… That's a lot of trees," Obito gaped at the sight before him.

"Why are you so amazed? We only took four steps outside the gate," Kakashi pointed out.

"Astute observation, Hatake-san. Truly a genius," Obito smirked at the other boy. Kakashi looked largely unamused.

"Obi, is this your first time outside the village?" Rin asked kindly.

"Yup! I never really had a good reason to go outside, so the clan never let me."

"Alright, kids. Let's get this mission over with. It might feel nice and quiet, but remember we're at war right now," Minato chimed in.

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Perhaps the "first C rank mission is bound to go wrong" phenomenon is true. Kakashi mused briefly on the thought before snapping back to reality. The reality that is a bunch of adults trying to kill a bunch of children (plus one adult).

Kakashi had been a ninja for many years, for as long as he could remember. Killing came as naturally as breathing (though he was definitely not proud of that). Going through the motions, he momentarily forgot he was part of a team in which half the members were new to real combat. A mistake on his part.

As he slashed and stabbed his way through his opponent, he quickly realized how much of a handicap his height was. Damn his short limbs! But of course, he wasn't a prodigy for nothing. Overcoming his short stature was nothing. He easily jumped his way to hit the vitals. The enemy was fast, but so was he.

When things seemed to be calm enough, Kakashi looked around to check up on his team. And then realized Obito and Rin had taken their first lives.

* * *

Rin didn't know the proper way to react to killing. So she simply cried. Silently, the tears fell, and really, she didn't even know she was crying. It felt nice to have Minato-sensei hug her and ground her in place, but… she had committed a grave deed. Murder in cold blood.

Rin wept.

* * *

Since Minato-sensei was occupied with Rin, Kakashi went to check up on Obito. The boy looked pretty shaken up. Shivering with a tense grin frozen on his face. Guess he didn't know how to react either.

"Obito, you doing alright?" Kakashi asked and immediately wanted to punch himself. Of course the kid wasn't alright.

"Mm. Mhm. Yup. Hm. Ah. Yeah. Other than the fact I took part in straight up murder, I got hit," Obito spoke in staccato as he shrugged one shoulder. The shoulder that was connected to a bleeding arm.

"Ah. Let me take a look at that." Kakashi's forte was not social skills, but the least he could do was keep Obito's attention away from the slowly cooling bodies.

* * *

The dressing Hatake had given his arm was neat, but still rudimentary. He said the wound didn't look serious enough to need stitches, so there was that, a silver lining, Obito supposed. (Obito was still going to have Rin look at it. But not right now.) Then Namikaze-sensei switched places with Hatake.

"Obito, how are you holding up?" he asked with such genuine concern. Obito graced him with an equally genuine answer.

"Not very good," Obito admitted, then quickly tacked on, "but I can still go on."

"Are you sure?" his teacher pressed.

"Mhm. Message delivery missions are important. Informations are like gold, you know? Of course you know." Obito started rambling to keep himself distracted. He vaguely noted being hugged. He then started rambling on about how he liked to gently squeeze cats to his chest and carry them around the compound.

Truly, he hated war.

* * *

During the night, they took guard shifts. Obito wanted to go first since his nerves were pretty frayed, but Rin volunteered. She was feeling jumpy and anxious as well. Obito volunteered for the second shift.

Neither he nor Rin could fall asleep until the fourth shift. Throughout the night, they simply looked at each other, sometimes closing their eyes only to startle and seek comfort from the other.

It was a long night.

* * *

The entire mission took a week and a few days. It was silently the entire time, but after their first encounter, the rest of the way was deadly silent filled with frantic eyes and anxious hands.

And finally, home.

Actually, not quite. They had to report back. And then home.

But before that...

* * *

"Kakashi-kun. Are you doing okay?" Rin asked him suddenly when they stepped out of the office. Minato-sensei had other businesses to take care of, so he had left right away.

"I'm okay. Why do you ask?" he questioned. He saw Rin and Obito glance at each other before looking back at him.

"O-oh, just wondering because you know…" Rin trailed off, uncertainty coloring her voice.

"Yeah, you know," Obito picked up for her, though he was having trouble finding his words as well. "You know. Uh."

"I don't know. Just say it," Kakashi gave them a way out. Just say it.

"Okay. I'll just say it then." Obito caught Rin's gaze another time before taking a big breath. "Um, yeah. You killed someone, and I'm pretty sure that was your first… Unless it's not."

Oh yeah.

* * *

That was quite uncomfortable to say, but Obito (and Rin) didn't know another way to say it. That whole conversation was uncomfortable and awkward.

Well, awkward for Kakashi, since he had to come up with a good excuse for his calmness.

* * *

"Kakashi-kun?" His friends were getting increasingly concerned for him. He needed to answer, quickly. So he said the first thing that came to mind.

"My dad trained me to be desensitized to killing from a very young age. It worked."

Silence and staring.

"Hatake-san, I'm sorry, but your dad sounds fucking savage."

Sorry, dad, but now my friends think you were some hardass shithead.

* * *

Obito walked slowly toward the compound. He eventually entered the gates and stood in front of his door. He could hear Ichiro inside. Before he could knock, Ichiro opened the door.

"Obito!" The man took one look at the child, and he knew.

"Ichi-san, I did something bad," the child spoke as his voice wavered and eyes flooded with tears.

Really, he hated war.

* * *

note: I wanted to include the conversation between Minato and Ichiro, but cut it out. I'll include it when this is all done or something. If you want to know how the conversation went right now, just message me and I will tell you.


	12. Can you see the future?

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting from this. As usual, please point out any mistakes you see. Even things like if my writing is unclear or something. I want to make sure the reading itself isn't like a puzzle.

This part is not very happy, but what can ya do?

Thank you for all the reviews and stuff, I really appreciate them all. I do try to reply as much as possible, but I know I miss some (a lot). Sorry about that. I'll do better. Also, Guest has requested/suggested an omake idea thing. That's like an extra, right? I might do those after I finish this story. You can send in ideas if you want, I don't mind. (The end is quite near, actually. Maybe one or two more updates.)

Thanks for looking :)

* * *

Part 12: Can you see the future?

"I need more teeth," Obito broke the relative silence with his declaration. His sole companion, Gai, glanced at his friend with puzzled eyes.

"Teeth?" he inquired.

"Yeah. I'm gonna get more teeth," Obito spoke with determination. Gai was still confused, but he was glad his friend seemed to get the life back in his voice. The few days after Team Minato's mission, both Rin and Obito spent their days with listless steps.

"Okay, Obito-kun! Go get those teeth!" he cheered on.

"Yeah! I'm gonna get those teeth!" Obito cheered along.

* * *

"Kakashi-kun, I think you should watch out for Obito-kun," Gai confronted Kakashi one day with the most serious expression.

"Wh-What do you mean? Is Obito okay?" Kakashi, being the worried friend, asked after Obito's well-being. He had been focused on Rin's well-being the past two days. Did he neglect Obito too much? Did something change in those couple days?

"I think he's doing better, but he was talking about getting more teeth. I am… worried he might start taking teeth out of anyone."

That's… What?

* * *

"Ririn-chaaaaan! Come dooooooown!" Obito shouted at a third floor window. After a few seconds, Rin poked her head out.

"Obi! What are you up to?" she asked.

"Come down and I'll tell you!" he grinned.

* * *

"You see, Ririn-chan, Team Minato's members have arranged themselves like this. Namikaze-sensei as the leader and all around cool guy who can do everything. Hatake-san as the close combat ninjutsu specialist. Me as the mid-range fighter with some ninjutsu and mediocre throwing abilities. Ririn-chan as the long-range fighter and awesome medic with amazing accuracy," Obito explained.

"Obi, I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit," Rin spoke.

"Hm, maybe. But! I need to be better. When I watch people like Hatake-san, they do a lot of cool slashing with their swords and knives, you follow?" Rin nodded.

"And since I assume the middle position, if Hatake-san were to fall, I'd be next in line to die, right?" Rin didn't like how he said that but nodded anyway. She didn't point out how it wouldn't turn out like that if they were surrounded. He probably knew.

"So, I need to get better at doing the slashing and stabbing, too. But I think if my blades have some teeth, it'd be easier to do damage. Maybe. I don't know."

"You want your blades to be like a saw?" Rin asked warily.

"Essentially. I don't- _huff-_ I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to- kill anyone, either. But it's harder to immobilize someone than to kill them. Or so I've heard," Obito looked away, squinting at something in the distance. "And, it'll be a useful tool for other things, too…"

"Yeah."

* * *

Two friends sat on a hill, watching something in the distance. Watching something no one else could see. What was it that they saw? Was it an apparition of a happy girl? A visage of a smiling boy? Perhaps the fleeting wisps of the carefree days they could no longer return to?

Who knows. But they watched for a very long time.

* * *

"Erm, yeah. That was what I saw thinking. I'm gonna ask Ichi-san for help later," Obito tore his gaze away to face Rin. Rin did the same.

"Yeah. Do you need anything else? Any more ideas?" she asked. She didn't mind being with Obito. She didn't want to do anything else.

"Um, I was thinking, if you're okay with it, if you could, maybe, teach me some tips and stuff about medical stuff… If you want to- you don't have to," Obito trailed off with red ears. He was embarrassed, though Rin couldn't fathom why. She smiled wide, eyes crinkling with happiness.

"Of course, I'd be happy to," she said.

Obito couldn't believe he thought Rin was an enemy a seemingly long time ago.

He couldn't hold back a truly content grin.

* * *

It had only been a week since that horrid event.

Alas, war was impatient and waited for nobody. Not even children.

Three members of Team Minato were hastily promoted to Chunin and sent back to the field.

* * *

Rin's family was absent during that week, doing their own parts in the war, scattered in mud and blood and leaves and grief.

Ichiro had words to say, but could not say any of them with the clan council breathing down his neck.

Without fanfare, Team Minato, along with many others, returned to war.

* * *

Hiding out beneath the bushes was fun. When it was a game.

But war was not a game to the soldiers. It was hell. It was shit. It was life.

Hiding beneath the bushes while the clouds drizzled nonstop for four days was just uncomfortable. Especially when holding a single position for nearly five hours with brief five minute breaks in between. It was _very_ uncomfortable. Truly. Really.

And worst of all, Obito couldn't even talk to his friend just three inches next to him!

* * *

In the small glowing embers of their camp, the Team's faces were drenched in its eerie orange light. Shadows danced on their faces and the corners of their visions. Every snaps and ticks of the night were potentially fatal. There was no relief.

They only had themselves.

* * *

It was hard to sleep. Their bedrolls could hinder their movements, so those were left untouched. Campfires any brighter than a little glow could reveal their position (and honestly, they were usually in complete darkness. Even little glows could lead to their demise). Anything brightly colored or shiny could give them away, so clothes were muted and weapons were left unpolished.

Three members sat around a single tree, their backs against the trunk as one member crouched above in the leaves keeping watch. Sometimes, they all huddled around in the leaves, safe from the ground and its prowling dangers.

Obito pressed himself into the rough bark, hoping for daylight, for daylight meant movement.

Obito drew his knees closer to his chest, dreading the daylight, for daylight meant movement.

Obito didn't know what to do.

* * *

The extra teeth were effective. Sort of.

Obito had successfully ripped off a woman's arm off. It wasn't on purpose! Honest! His weapon got caught, and the woman instinctively jumped back. But Obito's grip had always been firm. He didn't let go, and neither did his weapon.

Silver lining, Obito thought, silver lining. The woman was alive. Hurt, in pain, three limbs. Alive. She was alive.

(She was declared dead long before arriving at T&I, but Obito didn't need to know that.)

* * *

Two months was a long time. Too long of a time to spend in war country.

"Obito, how are you feeling?" Namikaze-sensei asked. He always asked his students individually. He always asked. How kind.

"I don't know," Obito did not lie. He had no strength to hide.

"Tell me anything. Or show me. Anything." Namikaze-sensei crouched down to his height.

"Sensei, I want to cry. I want to throw up. I want to scream. I really hate this. I don't know what to do," Obito admitted.

Namikaze-sensei didn't say anything else, but his eyes held an understanding depth.

Obito looked away.

* * *

"Ichi-san, I don't feel alive," Obito told the man. The man listened.

"Yeah," he said.

"How did you deal with this?"

"I didn't."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't deal with it. I didn't do anything about it. I simply… let it take me."

"..."

"..."

"Will I ever feel better?"

"I don't know."

"Yeah, me neither."

* * *

After a five day rest, Team Minato, along with many others, returned to war.

Rinse and repeat.

War was impatient.

* * *

note 1: I imagine rank promotions don't work the same when the villages are at war. So, in this story, promotions during war are mostly field promotions and recommendations. This also leads to hasty promotions. Not a very good system, I admit.

* * *

note 2: just gonna answer a few guest reviews here.

Heart: I agree. War related things make me cry.

Tiffanycr: They are all suffering :(

blades: Kakashi thinks he's being subtle and whatnot, but he does slip up now and again. It worries his friends, and Obito has some thoughts on that.

* * *

note 3: Obito's thought process on the teeth thing: If he can do enough damage to incapacitate his opponents, he won't have to kill anybody. In his mind, teeth = more damage.


	13. I'm not Obito

Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am not profiting from this. Mistakes? Weird parts? Whatever? Please tell me. Thanks.

Won't bother you with my excuses, here we go.

* * *

Part 13: I'm not Obito.

Kakashi thought grimly. That his jounin promotion couldn't have come at a worse time. It didn't matter which world. Which timeline. Which _Obito._ Team Minato was meant to take the Kannabi mission.

Hatake Kakashi was tired.

A heavy sigh left his lips right as a familiar figure emerged from the trees.

"Hatake-san?" It was Obito.

"Hm? Obito? What's up?" he put up a cheery facade.

"Uh, nothing much. I got out of a clan meeting just a bit ago. Um… Are you okay?" he asked cautiously. Perhaps Kakashi's mood was off putting.

"Nope!" Ah. That wasn't what he meant to say. Can't take it back now.

"Do you… want to talk about it? Ichi-san told me talking things out is healthy," Obito said. He was oddly tame and hesitant that day. Why?

"Mmmm. Say, do you believe in things like fate and destiny?" Kakashi asked, briefly thinking back to a certain Hyuuga.

"What's this all of a sudden?"

"Well, you're a weird and interesting guy, and I figured you'd have an equally weird and interesting answer." Obito regarded him for a quick second, expression carefully blank. Seriously, what was up with him today?

"I also think you're a weird and interesting guy. Too interesting to be caught up on something so mundane as the topic of fate."

"Humor me."

"To be honest, I don't think about things like that, so I don't have much of an answer for you."

"What if you knew what would happen in the future? Would you try to change it? Change fate?"

"Wha- Isn't that obvious? Aren't you supposed to be a genius?" Obito took on a teasing tone.

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Hahaha, you're so clueless! How are you a jounin already? Ah, congratulations on that by the way. I got you a gift. You want it now or with the team tomorrow?"

Obito got him a gift. He didn't forget. Another tally in the difference between his Obito and this Obito.

"Tomorrow. Right now, I just want to hear what you're thinking about."

His friend scoffed, but obliged anyway. "So you know what's gonna happen. That's just Intelligence doing their job. _Obviously,_ you'd work with it."

"That's not quite what I asked."

"Then you better be clear about it." With that, Obito plopped down next to Kakashi.

"I mean, if you've experienced something and had the chance to do it again, would you do anything different?"

"Depends. Was it good or bad the first time around?"

"Terrible."

"Then, yeah."

"Even if it's going against fate?"

"Do you believe in fate?"

"I don't know."

"Hmph. Fate is just another word for what happened. You can't go back in time, so you can't change what happened. Destiny is what you do about it. That's what I think. Nevermind all this talk, let's go eat dinner. My treat for the new jounin!"

Fate and destiny were brushed to the side with the promise of free food.

* * *

"Congratulations on your promotion, Kakashi-kun!" Rin cheered happily. Minato smiled as he looked over his team. "I got you a packed medkit. I got one for Obi, too."

"Thank you," Kakashi said as he accepted the pack.

"I got everyone a gift, too! Ta da!" Obito announced as he produced small cubes from his pocket. Each one had the Uchiwa engraved on it.

"They're special blade sharpeners from the Uchiha blacksmith. Really good, I tried!" Obito looked really proud.

Minato quickly tried it out and was positively surprised. "Oh, they work better than the standard ones they give you."

Obito grinned, "Since the smithy is kinda deep inside the clan compound, not many outsiders wander in. Tell your friends, Asahi-san will be happy."

"And, I got a gift for the team as well," Minato also cheered, producing his iconic custom-made kunai.

Obito took one with confusion in his eyes, but he only smiled and thanked the man. Obito probably didn't want to risk offending their teacher by calling his gift strange.

* * *

Kakashi knew what happened the first time around. They didn't know what those did. So it was too late.

He wasn't going to let that happen again.

* * *

"Sensei, are these seals? What do they do?" he asked.

"It's the Hiraishin. If you throw it, I'll know and zoom over," Minato explained. "Use it if you're ever in trouble, okay?"

"Yes, sir!"

With that, Team Minato officially set out for Kannabi bridge.

* * *

"How should we blow the bridge?" Rin asked.

"With the explosives?" Obito responded, questioning his own answer.

"Well, yeah, but how? Like, should we plant them at the base? Or plant them in the middle? Or just chuck them?"

"We should… spread them out and take the whole thing out, right?" Obito turned to Minato. Then to Kakashi. Neither of them were listening as they were planning out their next course of action. Obito turned back to Rin. "Dunno."

* * *

It was quite uneventful until right before Minato was supposed to split. Kakashi entertained the thought of bringing out the bright and noisy menace, but he was not a child. He knew the risks and dangers, so he did not.

Other than a few scratches, the team was fine.

"Alright. Everyone good so far?" Nods all around. "Okay. Stay safe, be careful. We'll meet back up again."

And Minato was gone, leaving three children alone in war.

* * *

Obito thought there was something kind of fucked up about the situation, but did not voice it. Kids in war. In the woods. Alone. Killing and killing and killing. It was the norm in this crazy, new world.

He didn't like it, but complaining wouldn't help anyone at that moment.

* * *

Rin was nervous. Anxious. Dreading every step she took. Minato wasn't there to save them. What if, what if, what if?

What if they died?

What if Minato died?

What if she died?

What if, what if, what if…

* * *

Kakashi felt every single strand of hair on edge. He kept his eyes on every single detail.

Enemy? No, just a branch.

Shuriken? Just a beetle.

And then, ambush.

* * *

Kakashi's mind was running a hundred miles a second. How many enemies? Three? Four? Five? Were there this many the first time? First time? That didn't matter! There were five (six? seven?) enemy shinobi trying to kill them and Rin-!

He wasn't thinking straight. Maybe that was why he focused so heavily on the enemies around her. So caught up with his past, with the first time he went on this mission. Trying to fix his mistakes and repent.

It was his fault anything happened the way it did. His fault!

* * *

Rin was safe. A little shaken up, but safe and whole. She stood with trembling legs, unable to comprehend what just had happened, until-

"Obito… OBITO!" she cried.

Instead of Rin, it was Obito. He was gone.

"Kakashi-kun, we have to find him! We have to!"

Mission put on hold, Kakashi gripped Rin's shoulders and kept her in place. Panicking was no good. Not now.

"We're going to get him back."

It was a promise.

* * *

Kakashi couldn't rely on his past memories. He really couldn't. Things were already different, so who's to say there won't be any more changes?

Running on instinct alone, he vaguely registered the course he and Rin set out on. It was different from before. For the first time since the start of the mission, Kakashi found himself hoping everything else stayed the same.

* * *

It was a little known fact that Nohara Rin had the most stamina out of the three children of Team Minato. Obito was a close second. Kakashi, even with all his efforts, could only curse his genetics.

Rin held her expression as blank as possible, but inside, her heart and mind were in turmoil. What if, what if, what if…

What if Obito was _dead?_

She knew they had to hurry, but they've been running for so long, and the enemies had already gone so far.

"Kakashi-kun, are you holding up?" she asked.

"Fine," he replied tersely, trying very hard to conserve as much energy as he could.

Just as Rin was about to say something else, she spotted out of the corner of her eye, an unnatural glint among the leaves.

"GET DOWN!"

* * *

Two children engaged in yet another battle with grown men and women. Three adults who hadn't been running at top speed for who knows how long.

But the children managed to push back through sheer adrenaline and willpower. They left one woman alive since she was holding onto _Obito's packs._ The other two were sprawled on the ground with torn throats, decidedly ignored.

"Obito. Where's Obito?" the boy demanded. The woman, dazed from a blow to the head, gazed with blurry eyes.

"Who?" she asked.

"Our teammate! Where did they take him?!" the boy was furious, shaking the woman by her collar. He did not know when they had split up. Their chakra were masked like the professionals they were.

The woman's eyes cleared their haze minutely before her face twisted into a condescending sneer. "As if I'd tell you little shits anything!" she spit before crunching on a pill, falling like a ragdoll.

Two children stood silently with three bodies.

* * *

"Kakashi-kun, do you think this is enough trouble for us to call Minato-sensei? A-and, we should wrap your eye right now," Rin whispered. The sight of death still shook her to the core. She never got used to it. Just better at hiding it.

* * *

That's right. That's right! Minato! Kakashi, in his guilt and panic, had forgotten they weren't alone. They had their beloved teacher, the man who could decimate entire platoons. He could save them! They didn't have to do this alone. This was important.

Obito was important.

"Yeah, we should-" Kakashi began, Rin already reaching for the special blade, when an explosion shook the world.

* * *

Obito didn't know what exactly happened between his waking moments. Well, he figured nothing interesting really happened. One moment in the forest, then the next blindfolded somewhere else. One moment he was fighting, then the next he was getting a good smack in the face. Wasn't a very pleasant way to wake up.

"You need to chill," Obito grinned. He wasn't sure what the correct reaction to… whatever was going on was (Torture? Interrogation?). He didn't know, so he did what he did best.

"Shut it, brat," a scratchy voice spoke before Obito got a backhand to the other cheek. He was really good at irritating people.

"'Kay," he mumbled.

"Now, tell us. What's your mission? What's Konoha up to?" And on and on and on, asking questions about things Obito barely knew. He kept silent, even when the beatings turned meaner and more aggressive.

Then suddenly, the stagnant voice turned impatient and loud. "TELL US!" And Obito cracked another (crooked) grin.

"You told me to shut it. What do you want me to do? And really? This blindfold? Totally unoriginal," he jested. He was testing the nonexistent patience of his captors. What a dangerous game.

"This fucking shit! I'll rip your fucking eyes out!" his interrogator yelled. Obito needed an edge.

"If you're gonna do that, you better take the blindfold off, yeah?" he spoke with a light tone, continuing to grate on everyone's nerves.

"Heh, nice try, kid. But we're not gonna risk you having those fancy eyes," another man laughed sardonically. Obito didn't get his edge. But that's okay. He'll try again.

"Let's try again slower this time, kiddo." Good. "What's your mission?"

"Come closer and maybe I'll tell you," Obito smiled, though not as wide. His split lip was protesting every movement, screaming at him to _shut the hell up_.

He heard someone shifting nearer. Heh, they took him too seriously. Morons.

"My mission is… To tell you… You're a little bitch."

And then, another nice beating session. Obito was getting tired of all this. When the punches and kicks slowed down, he took a breath. Then another.

Then Obito exhaled another breah, that time with chakra. His very own burst of fire.

* * *

He couldn't hear their screams anymore. Which was honestly kind of unsettling, but whatever. With a hidden razor, Obito cut himself free and ripped the blindfold off. Finally he could see!

And what he saw wasn't something he really wanted to see in his life. He wasn't sure if his captors were alive, but at that moment, he didn't care. He hurt all over and couldn't even escape his own flames in the cramped space of the cavern. Obito sneezed, the scent of ash and burnt hair and skin filling the air.

Obito didn't know any earth release (not that he could even perform any jutsu at that moment. His hands were broken and missing a few nails. Painful!). It wasn't even his nature. He wasn't even sure if he was underground or not. He didn't have enough information to do much.

'Maybe I can lay down and rest. And someone will come get me,' he thought. 'Or I'll just sleep here forever because everyone's too busy fighting.'

Lost in his thoughts, the slight movements of a body didn't register until a second later.

And then…

* * *

Startled by the explosion, Rin dropped the Hiraishin kunai. And Minato promptly arrived with frantic eyes, taking in the states of his two students.

"Where's Obito?"

* * *

When they arrived, there wasn't much to see. A bunch of rocks and burnt grass. No blood, no bodies. They were all probably buried beneath. Obito included.

'Let's not think about that,' Kakashi shook his head. Obito had to be alive. Not… He had to be alive.

"Obito?" Rin called out quietly in case there were still enemies nearby. With the explosion, they were sure someone would come running. Someone not so friendly.

They held their breath in silence when a cough sent their heads turning to the singed trees to their left.

Obito.

* * *

Obito was incoherent the rest of the mission, mumbling jumbled thoughts and events out of order. Minato joined them as the team made their way swiftly to the bridge.

As they camped at night, Obito woke with a shuddering breath, trying to catch his breath.

"...vy…" he said.

"What?" Kakashi asked.

"Heavy," Obito repeated, reaching up with a trembling hand. He tore his headband from his person.

Minato saw. He said nothing. Only looked on with concern.

* * *

Obito woke the next morning with more awareness than before. He didn't really know what was going on. Just that the mission was a success and they were going home.

"Obito, what happened after you were separated?" Minato asked when they passed a Konoha lookout post.

"I was…" Obito tried to gather his thoughts. "I was in a cave place. And they asked me stuff, but I wouldn't tell them. So they got angry."

"Obi, do you know about the explosion?" Rin asked, worriedly. Obito glanced at her. She was always so worried about him. She shouldn't waste her energy on him.

"I threw up some fire and they died… But not really. One of them was gonna do something but…," he trailed off before laughing. "I was so lucky he was looking right at me!"

"What do you mean?" Minato asked.

"Because the Uchiha magic eyes don't work without eye contact!"

* * *

"The hospital is a surprisingly weird place to be," Obito mused out loud for his companion to hear. Kakashi jolted awake at that.

"Obito, you're awake!" he nearly wept tears of relief, thoughts of death and failure banished from his conscience.

"And so are you, Hatake-san. How are you feeling?" Obito asked.

"You- Hah! Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"Hehe, I think I'm drugged. Can't feel much… I can't remember much of what happened after the cave collapsed. Care to fill me in?"

So Kakashi did just that. Recalling the past events and the information Obito had half-lucidly confessed. Obito grinned without humor. There was nothing funny about all that.

"Since when did you have the Sharingan?"

"I think…" Obito responded sluggishly, his mind still a little fuzzy, "since I was four or five. It was when Ichi-san came back."

"You're unbelievable."

"Uhh, thanks?"

* * *

Nurses came and went. Kakashi was going to excuse himself so that Obito could rest, but Obito insisted on him staying just a bit longer. There was something important he wanted to know.

* * *

The setting sun cast an orange layer over everything it touched. Coming from behind through the window, Obito's face looked dark and grim. With his iconic grin in place, Obito spoke.

"It must've been hard for you, Hatake-san," he began.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi questioned.

"You are a man out of time."

"I don't understand."

"I don't either, but here you are. A breathing, living _time traveler."_

Kakashi's heart lept, fingers twitched. Obito knew? Should he tell the truth or try to bullshit out of this?

"You're not a very good actor," Obito broke through his racing thoughts.

"How… Since when?" Obito looked too amused for his liking.

"I didn't. I guessed." _FUCK._ "But your reaction tells me enough to know that it's true."

Kakashi lost, Obito won. Truly, a very anticlimactic end to that game.

"How did you even _guess_ something like this? _Unbelievable_."

"So you tell me. It's a crazy world here. Anything could happen. Even dead guys can come back to life."

"...?"

"Anyways, can you tell me what happened the first time you went through all this? Don't look at me like that. I knew you were nervous for this specific mission for months. What happened? Was it Ririn-chan that got caught? Did she die? Did I die? Someone die? _Did you change fate and all that?"_

And that was enough for Kakashi to spill his guts to the boy he learned to love and trust. He blamed whatever drugs the doctors gave him.

* * *

By the end of his tale, Obito's grin remained, but there was nothing friendly about him. No, there was tension in his shoulders and his eyes held something mighty cold.

"The only real difference is me," Obito stated.

"Yeah."

"Hm. So tell me. Who am I?" … What?

"What?"

"Stop being so daft. Who am I?"

"You're Obito?"

"Am I _Obito_ or am I _me?_ "

"Obito, stop being so vague. What are you asking?"

"How much of me do you know as 'the other version of Obito'? How many comparisons did you draw up between me and someone who's so completely removed from me?"

"I…"

* * *

Kakashi was starting to understand. He'd always thought of the boy before him as a different Obito, not his own person. And the boy always knew that. Felt that since the very moment they met years ago. And he didn't have a proper answer. Until now.

"Don't compare me to people I'm not. Stop holding expectations based on things I'm not."

 _IT'S NOT FAIR!_ Obito wanted to scream. _YOU'RE NOT BEING FAIR!_ In the corner of his mind, Obito knew he wasn't either.

"I thought- that the first person to really talk to me saw me as just me, plain and simple. Not my clan and its stereotypes. Not the class failure. Not the village weirdo. Just _me._ But I guess you were just seeing a ghost."

"Obito-"

" _Please,_ Hatake-san. If you can't separate me from the boy in your past, I don't want you to call me that."

…

"I'm tired, can you leave? Please?"

It hurt more than Kakashi would admit.

* * *

It was painfully obvious to Minato and Rin that something happened between the two boys. There was a tense distance between them. Kakashi rarely met Obito's eyes, but when he did, Obito would look away.

Minato could only hope they'd resolve it sooner than later.

* * *

"Obi?"

"Ririringo-chi?"

"Heh, what's that?"

"That was what I first decided on. Your nickname, that is. But Ichi-san said it's too long."

"It's cute."

"Thanks."

"About you and Kakashi-kun…"

"I know."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I was really upset so I wasn't fair to him. I was so focused on how he hurt me, I didn't consider what he was going through."

Rin didn't understand without context, but it was none of her business. Right then, her job was to listen and respond.

"What should I do?"

"I don't know. Do you think you should talk with him?"

"I should. I want to keep being his friend, but… What if _he doesn't want to be friends with me anymore?"_

"Whatever happens, I trust in both of you."

"Yeah. Thanks. I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Good luck."

* * *

"Obi- Erm…" Kakashi began and trailed off. Obito didn't seem to mind. His concentration was solely focused on dragging Kakashi to… somewhere.

"Uhm, where are we going?" Kakashi ventured to ask.

"Somewhere quiet," Obito replied.

* * *

Somewhere quiet was an apt description of Training Ground 51. There was no body of water close by and the bushes and foliage were thick and dense. The best use of the place would be trap setting and agility, but even so, there were better places to go than Training Ground 51. The place was pretty desolate.

"Let's talk. I'm gonna go first," said Obito.

"Uhm, what's this-" Kakashi began but was caught off.

"Hey, I said I'm gonna go first."

"Ah, sorry."

Then the Uchiha boy took a step back and _bowed_. Kakashi also took a step back but from shock and surprise.

"I'm really sorry."

"...For what?" Kakashi asked when he found his voice.

"I wasn't being fair. You lost everyone precious to you and had to restart all your relationships. I was too upset at the fact you never saw me as my own person-" a flinch "-that I didn't consider how difficult dealing with life is for you. So I apologize. I'm very sorry."

"You- O- You don't need to apologize. There's nothing for you to-"

"No, I insist."

"Then, I'm sorry too. For never truly seeing who you are. It wasn't fair of me to do that to you, especially as… your first friend."

* * *

Two boys fought.

Two boys made up.

Heavy hearts, broken and shattered, managed to be pieced back together.

* * *

"My name is Uchiha Obito of the great Uchiha clan where kitties and sunshine sleep. My current guardian is Uchiha Ichiro, and he's the best at cooking vegetables and fish. Uchiha Fugaku-sama is now the clan head, and I used to call him pissant because he did something that upset me, but now we fixed our relationship. I like cats and sweets and watching sunrises. My dream is to retire and go traveling with Ichiro-san after the war."

"My name is Hatake Kakashi, the last member of the Hatake clan. My guardians are Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. There's never a dull moment living with them. I like dogs and training, especially with friends. I've never had the guts to call people of authority anything other than their titles or their names. My dream is to live peacefully with everyone I hold dear."

A moment of silence passed between the two boys. Then they fell into a heap of laughter and forgiveness and camaraderie.

* * *

"You know, Hatake-san-"

"You can call me Kakashi, you know."

"Oh! Kakashi… kun."

"Why are you blushing like a schoolboy with a crush?"

"It's a big step in our relationship! I can't believe we're in the middle of a forest with no one to witness this monumental moment."

"Now, you're being dramatic. What were you going to say?"

"Ah, sometime during the academy, I made up a game-"

"What else is new."

"-and it was basically, whoever first makes an attempt to befriend me will get a very special present from me."

"And?"

"And, because you're my very first and best friend, I'm going to give you a gift!"

"Neat."

"Why can't you sound more excited?"

"Neat-o! Thanks, friend! Can't wait to see my gift!"

"... Right. Once a month, I'll treat you to any store in Konoha!"

"... That's it?"

"That's it."

"You're ridiculous."

"And you're a penny-pincher, so I think it's the perfect gift for you. Unless you want an eye transplant directly from-"

"NO."

* * *

"Well, glad to see your team functioning properly again," Kushina commented as she and Minato watched over three children being children. As in, they were trying to drown each other in the lake. Ah, youth.

"Mhm. This entire month was a wild and hectic experience. Really glad I told them about the Hiraishin," Minato sighed as he leaned back on his hands.

"Minato-sensei! Kushina-neesan!" Rin's voice brought their attention to the kids now standing on the lake.

In their arms, each child held a portion of an enormous carp, struggling to free itself from their enhanced grips. Everyone laughed so hard, smiled so wide. Everything was perfect.

Kakashi could live with this.

* * *

note: DONE. I had a hard time starting this but I did it. It's not perfect, but I finished it! Longest chapter in this fic (around 4,300 words). Next update will address whatever details I left out, the omake things, questions if you have any. If you have questions, leave them in the reviews, and I will try my best to answer them in the next update. Thanks for sticking with me, hope this chapter doesn't feel awkward/rushed/weird/etc etc. Thanks, bye.


	14. Afternotes

**Afternotes**

Well, it's done, yay. Thank you so much for everyone's support, all the reviews, follows, and faves. Or if you didn't do any of those and just enjoyed the story, that's great! I'm glad y'all enjoyed this story. If you didn't, sorry.

This isn't a chapter update since the story's basically done. But I will be addressing some informations, other things I left out, some extras, and more!

* * *

 **Conversation between Minato and Ichiro**

Minato: "Ichiro-san, can you tell me about Obito's parents?"

Ichiro: "Ah, have you heard of Uchiha Takeo and Uchiha Hayashi?"

Minato: "Do you mean the Uchiha legends? I'm sure most of Konoha has heard of them. Are you saying they were Obito's parents?"

Ichiro: "Ah, yes. They were. But uh, things happened, so he's with me now. We were always neighbors, you know?"

Minato: "I see. Do you happen to know anything about Obito's distrustful nature? Or if there was any sort of trauma that could have happened to make him so closed off and cautious? I'd like to have something to work with."

Ichiro: "Ah, ah... It's not really my place to tell you about his business..."

Minato: "I understand, but is there anything at all you could tell me about?"

Ichiro: "... Well, there's some things I'll have to discuss with him first, but I can tell you Obito's always been a little strange and..."

Minato: "And...?"

Ichiro: "I- He- When I came back after... what happened... to me... Obito saw me at my worst, and I can only assume he developed some opinions about being ninja."

Minato: "... Is that so."

Ichiro: "Y-yeah. I don't know what, but since then, he's been very vocal and adamant about staying civilian."

Minato: "Then why did he enroll in the academy?"

Ichiro: "I'm sorry, Namikaze-san, but I can't say any more than this. Please."

Minato: "Okay, thank you for your insight, Ichiro-san."

Ichiro: "... One more thing, Namikaze-san."

Minato: "?"

Ichiro: "Obito may not show it, but he is very easily distressed."

Minato: "Thank you, I will keep that in mind."

Ichiro: "Don't hurt him. Please."

It was an impossible promise, but Minato nodded anyway.

* * *

Why I didn't include it: I couldn't figure out how to blend it in smoothly at the time. But, anyway, I'll explain this bit a little more.

Since there's no information (that I could find) on his parents, I made them up. When they were alive, they were really powerful shinobi. The Uchiha council had high hopes and expectations for Obito to be just like them: powerful with a mature Sharingan. Obito really wanted to go to a regular civilian school, but the council disagreed. Obito pleaded with Fugaku, then the future clan head, but Fugaku was pressured by the council and it was during war. In the end, he gave in and had Obito enrolled in the Academy. That's why Obito really didn't like Fugaku.

A week or two after Obito's fight with Kakashi in chapter 13, Fugaku finally put his foot down and essentially told the council to shut up, let Obito do what he wants. Sometime after the war ends, Obito will be removed from field work (unless emergency) and join the Konoha Military Police Force. This will give him more time in the village with Ichiro. Whenever he's allowed, Obito and Ichiro will go out to neighboring villages just to chill. Obito hopes they'll be able to travel farther some day.

A fairly happy ending.

* * *

 **Obito's Sharingan**

Obito first unlocked his Sharingan when he was four, almost five. Ichiro was MIA for a month, but he was able to make his way back home. His friends wanted to celebrate so they took him out to a restaurant, but the sight of red meat was a mistake. Ichiro ran out the restaurant and eventually collapsed in an alley in the Uchiha compound. He was shivering and crying, curled up on the ground when Obito found him. The sight of Ichiro distressed Obito very much. Since Obito's mind was more developed than a regular child's, he could piece together what was generally happening in Ichiro's life. Before, Obito had no strong opinion on ninjas, but after Ichiro came home, Obito was very vocal about not becoming a ninja.

The second tomoe was when Obito's granny passed away.

The third one was from his first kill.

(By the way, I won't be getting into detail on what happened to Ichiro when he was MIA. It's very disgusting, idk why I did that to him. So, just use your imagination.)

* * *

 **Obito and Ichiro**

I imagined the Uchiha compound to be divided up into sections. Ichiro is not a full-blooded Uchiha, so he lives on the outskirt, near the walls. That section is where the partial Uchihas generally gather and live together. It's a little rundown and poor, but it's a community. Fugaku's doing his best to help but the council and the elders are very stubborn.

Obito's parents were both half Uchiha, so Obito lives there. Granny's a full Uchiha but chose to live there.

Ichiro used to babysit Obito sometimes.

After Ichiro came back home, he could no longer handle meat, especially red meat (fish is the only one he can really tolerate). Obito saw his distress and asked an Akimichi civilian chef for help. The chef agreed to help and opened up a small restaurant that serves mainly vegetables and fish and also supplies supplements. It became surprisingly popular to some ninjas and civilians. Ichiro was very grateful.

* * *

 **Why Obito didn't mention his situation**

Someone mentioned it wasn't fair of Obito to not reveal his status as a reincarnated person to Kakashi. I did kind of set up the dialogue to reveal this part but decided against it because it wasn't too important.

Obito has very little memories from his first life. The only things he really retained from the past life are his love of games, desire for peace, and (questionable) maturity. Eventually, after living for so long in the new and crazy world, Obito became his own person, very different and removed from who he was in the first life. So the fact he is a reincarnated person didn't matter too much for both his character and the story.

But this is my opinion. If you have another opinion, feel free to tell me, I'd love to know!

* * *

 **Obito's big game and Ichiro's request**

Someone expressed confusion on chapter 7. In that chapter, granny passes away, Obito loses an important game, and Ichiro asks to keep something a secret.

The important game had something to do with Obito living happily with granny. He lost because she died. It was kinda like a lottery game, I guess.

The secret Ichiro asked, it was about Obito's Sharingan. Obito didn't tell anyone about it, so not even Ichiro and granny knew he activated his Sharingan. When Ichiro saw that Obito already had the second tomoe, he asked Obito to keep it a secret. If the clan council knew, Obito's chance of retiring would grow even slimmer.

* * *

 **What could've happened**

For the ending, I was deciding on one main thing. Whether to keep Obito alive or kill him. It the story had ended up with Obito half crushed under a boulder with his friends by his side, he probably would've offered his eye as a parting gift (to Rin or Kakashi, it didn't matter, though Kakashi made more sense since the kid lost an eye). And then he would've just died. No Madara and Tobi business ever happening. Obito would've been just very tired and given up on life.

But, I decided to keep him alive! Yay! I'm happier with this ending.

I did originally plan on having Obito offer an eye to Kakashi (Obito would've gotten a transplant after). But after hearing Kakashi's story, Obito decided not to burden him with the eye. So instead, he decided to treat his friend to any store once a month. For the rest of their lives. Obito thinks that's a good gift for his first friend. The first thing Obito paid for was the eye transplant. Yup, Kakashi has two eyes. Thank you anonymous donor in Konoha!

* * *

Okay, now take these extras!

* * *

 **Extra 1** : (request) Obito is a smug schoolgirl who sits next to Kakashi and trolls him on a day to day basis.

"Okay, class, settle down, settle down. I SAID SIT THE FUCK DOWN. Thanks, class," the teacher, Nara Shikaku, demanded as he entered the class. He normally didn't raise his voice but to make sure the students knew not to fuck with him, he had to. A great bother, but a necessary evil.

Once every student found their seat, he began his announcement. "As you know, Morino's transferred few days ago. Well, we got another student now. Please welcome him. You, come in." Then, a student with a shock of pale hair entered the room.

"This is Hatake Kakashi. Great. Hatake, go sit down next to Nohara. Nohara, raise your hand." A girl with warm eyes waved at the new student.

* * *

Kakashi didn't particularly mind changing schools since he had no friends to keep in contact with. But changing schools for the fourth time in three months? Absolutely ridiculous.

"Hello, Kakashi-kun, I'm Rin," said the girl.

"Hello," he greeted back.

"Obi-chan sits on your other side, but she's not here today."

"Okay."

* * *

During break, Kakashi wondered if he should make an effort to befriend the other students. Then he caught them whispering about him.

"Can I help you," he asked with false politeness.

"Ah, sorry, we're not talking shit or anything," a student called Genma spoke.

"Yeah, we're just making bets about you," another student called Aoba added.

"What kind of bets?" Kakashi asked.

"When Obito comes back, she'll probably play games with you," Genma said.

"Yeah, and Ibiki used to sit where you're sitting now. He lasted the longest, but even he eventually cracked," a third student called Asuma said.

"What do you mean by that?" Kakashi asked another question.

"I mean that he laughed in the middle of class and started actually humoring her until he left."

"Ah. I see."

"So, we're betting on how long it'll take for you."

"How do you know I'll crack?"

"Everyone does."

* * *

Two days later, when Kakashi entered the classroom, he could tell something was off. Every single student was already in their seat. Just sitting there, quietly. It wasn't obvious, but he could feel their eyes on him as he made his way to his seat.

Rin sent an apologetic smile his way but did not say anything.

Right when Shikaku entered the room, a window opened and a girl crawled in.

"Obito," said the teacher.

"Yeah?" said the girl.

"It's the fourth floor."

"Uh, I know?"

"Nevermind. Go take a seat."

"Yes, sir!"

That was the first time Kakashi saw Obito.

* * *

When break finally came around, everyone glanced over to Obito. Who proceeded to take a seat on Kakashi's desk.

"I'm Obito," she said.

"I'm Kakashi," he replied.

"You're not gonna make fun of my name?"

"No?" Then she smiled. Her smile showed too many teeth.

"So far, I like you."

"Thanks?"

"Have you been to the secret cafe?"

"No?"

"I'll show you. And stop answering my questions with questions."

Obito hopped off his desk and grabbed Kakashi by the back of his collar. The girl was deceptively strong.

"It's time to go on an adventure. Ririn-chan?"

"I'll take a melon bread and banana milk."

* * *

Kakashi couldn't break free from her grasp and resigned to his fate of literally being dragged on the floor. People glanced at them but didn't stare for long. He realized this was a common enough occurance to be normal.

After being dragged through several hallways and flights of stairs (ouch), they finally arrived at the secret cafe. It was just a normal school cafe.

"Are you sure this is the secret cafe?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered.

"This looks like a normal cafe."

"No, it's a secret cafe that only students and faculty of East Konoha High have access to."

Right.

* * *

The next day, Obito sat with a sharp grin in place. Kakashi's only experience with her was the whole secret cafe adventure. He was not prepared.

"Hatake, read the next paragraph," Shikaku called on him. Kakashi stood up and held his textbook before him to begin reading. But he couldn't because his book fell apart.

"Uh…"

Shikaku sighed, "Obito, lend him your book."

"Here you go, Hatake-san," she grinned, handing him her textbook.

On closer inspection, it was his own. Obito had switched their books while he was away.

"Did you seriously destroy your own textbook for this?" he whispered.

"A necessary sacrifice," she told him.

* * *

Another day, Kakashi dropped his eraser. It had rolled too far away for him to pick up without disturbing the class. Obito noticed and lent him her own. He thanked her and tried to rub out his mistake. Tried to.

Instead of erasing his mistake, the eraser had scratched a line across his paper. Kakashi realized Obito had stabbed broken pencil leads in the eraser. He looked over at her. She was only concentrating on her own work.

* * *

Yet another day, Obito had various chess pieces stationed on her desk. Rin had a small princess figurine at one corner of her desk.

Throughout class, Obito catapulted her pieces toward Rin's desk. The pieces usually hit Kakashi or clattered against his desk.

Shikaku had noticed what was going on, but Obito had gone through the trouble of masking her pieces' landings with the sound of chalk on blackboard. Just for that, he let it slide.

When Obito had been reduced to her last piece (a bishop), she paused. And took out another contraption from the depths of her desk. Kakashi could only describe it as _lethal._

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the princess on Rin's desk had disappeared. And had reappeared in his pencil case. Rin knew of the destructive effect of Obito's Mega Launcher. She'd apologize to Kakashi during break.

Obito took aim and waited for Shikaku to start writing again.

She waited and waited and waited.

And fired.

The only sounds heard afterward were Kakashi's pencil case blowing up and Shikaku's heavy sigh.

* * *

One time, Kakashi had gone to sit on his chair. Only to fall backward. Obito had switched out his chair with a faulty one. A maintenance worker came in to scold Obito and take the chair away.

* * *

Another time, Obito had invited him to her secret base. He wondered if he should go. Rin warned him Obito's secret base was actually the girl's bathroom near the gymnasium. She also said Obito met up with Anko there. Kakashi had heard enough about Anko to avoid her.

He didn't go.

* * *

"Ah, I wonder how Morino-san is doing," Obito stretched and yawned when the final bell rang. As she stretched, she made sure her arms pat Kakashi's head. "Maybe I'll go visit him."

"Oh, are you going to visit him at his new school?" Rin asked.

"No, I know where he lives. I'm going to his home," Obito answered.

"Ah."

"Yup. I'm gonna go see him. See you tomorrow, Ririn-chan, Hatake-san."

* * *

"Kakashi-kun?" Rin stopped him as he walked out the school gate.

"Hm, yeah?"

"Do you dislike Obito?" she asked.

"Eh? Not really. Her games can get irritating but it's (mostly) harmless."

"Oh okay. That's good. Obito is friendly to most people, but she doesn't have many friends. She considers you a friend, so it's good that you don't dislike her," Rin explained.

"Oh…"

* * *

Five weeks after his transfer, Kakashi joined Obito's games. Ibiki kept his record at five weeks, two days.

* * *

Note: I sort of based this on Tonari no Seki-kun. It's a cute manga. I heard it got an anime at some point.

* * *

 **Extra 2** : (request) Kakashi compares Team Minato to animals.

"Kakashi-niichan!" Naruto screamed as he barrelled full force into Kakashi.

"Oof. You're getting stronger," Kakashi told the boy. The boy smiled even brighter.

"Yeah!"

* * *

"Tell me ninja stories!" Naruto demanded.

"Sure. What kind?" Kakashi asked.

"Uhm. About a cool ninja!"

"Sure."

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a young wolf and he was always alone. He was arrogant and proud. He wanted to believe he didn't need friends, but he was so so so lonely.

He went to the ninja academy to learn to be a ninja. He never paid attention to anyone but himself. But one day, someone threw a blade toward him. It was a lion whose mane hadn't even started growing.

The young lion had insisted it was an accident. Whether an accident or not, it did not matter. It had been a while since someone had talked to the wolf without scorning him. The wolf sat with the lion in class. The lion didn't mind. He was lonely too.

They became friends. They didn't feel lonely anymore.

* * *

Then, they found more friends.

A young owl, silent and deadly. She flew from the academy to the hospital every day to grow her wisdom.

A young bear, full of unrestrained strength. He was passionate and cheery. He could make anyone smile.

* * *

The wolf, the lion, and the owl were put on a team together. Their teacher was a falcon, quick and sharp. Under the watchful eyes of the falcon, the three friends grew stronger side by side.

* * *

One day, on a mission far from home, the wolf made a mistake and the lion was captured. The wolf and the owl despaired but they did not give up. They'd never give up on their friend.

They fought and traveled farther and farther off course. They searched high and low for their beloved friend. When they found the lion, beaten and burned, they cried out in relief. The three friends were reunited.

* * *

After completing their mission and coming back home, their friendship grew even stronger. They watched out for each other. And even now, they're all very happy.

* * *

"Now, Naruto. What do you think would have happened if the wolf and the owl gave up on the lion?"

"Then the lion would be all hurt and alone!"

"That's right. The lion would be left far from home, and the wolf and the owl wouldn't be happy."

"Yeah! They're super friends so they don't leave each other!"

"Yup, you're a smart kid, Naruto."

"YEAH! ! !"

* * *

"Naruto, let's go meet Obito."

"Who's Obito?"

"He visited you last month, remember?"

"No."

"He'd visit more, but the Police Force is always very busy."

"Is Mr. Obito a police?"

"Yup. He protects the people of Konoha from the inside."

"That's cool too."

"He's still a ninja, you know."

"That's even cooler!"

* * *

"Obito," Kakashi called out. Amidst the busyness of the police officers, a head poked out.

"Shishi-kun!" Obito greeted as he made his way to his friends.

"Shishi-kun? Kakashi-niichan, are you the lion?" little Naruto scrunched up his nose.

"Take a look at Obito, then tell me what you think." Kakashi lifted Naruto up so that he was eye level with the adults.

"And Naruto-san! How are you doing?" Obito gave his thousand watt smile. He had heavy bags under his eyes and his hair was messier than usual. But he was truly glad to see his friends.

Naruto's eyes lit up. He saw a man who embodied the sun and everything warm and happy (his parents not included. They were the brightest and the warmest, hands down).

"Are you Mr. Lion?" Naruto asked, starry eyed.

"Excuse me?" Obito gave Kakashi a questioning look. Kakashi said nothing, only smiled.

* * *

Note: I don't think this is exactly what was requested. But I like how this came out.

 **Extra 3** : I was lonely before you.

"Hello, my name is Uchiha Obito, and I like kitties and sweets. I wasn't here yesterday, but I hope we can still be friends!" Obito made sure to smile his best, just like how Mizushi-san told him to. Mizushi-san had a few missing teeth and a scarred lip, but she had one of the warmest, brightest smiles. (She also had the most demonic voice and eyes when angry.)

* * *

Obito didn't know what he did wrong. Nobody approached him during break. Had everyone already made friend groups on the first day? The girl from yesterday said hello to him but she had her own friends. Tadano kept glancing at him and sneering.

Obito just didn't understand.

* * *

Obito didn't have any sort of training before the academy. His parents were always gone (now they're dead!), granny was too frail, and Ichi-san was in no condition to revisit his past. Obito didn't even plan on becoming ninja. It wasn't his fault he didn't know the most basic stances and techniques!

"Aren't you supposed to be an Uchiha?" someone jeered at him. Some other students laughed. Obito's ears burned a little, but he didn't mind terribly.

"The Uchiha clan has many civilians who never receive any kind of training," he said.

"But you're here to be a ninja, so why didn't they train you?" someone else laughed at him.

"There's many civilians in the academy who don't have any training," Obito reasoned.

"But you're an _Uchiha!_ "

Obito kept his head down the rest of the day.

* * *

"You smile a lot for an Uchiha."

"For an Uchiha, you're pretty dumb."

"I heard everyone in the Uchiha clan is pretty, but what happened to you?"

Obito wanted friends and people to talk to, but all they would tell him were stereotypes of his clan. How could they generalize an entire group of people?

Only the elders didn't smile (much).

His clan was pretty average in terms of overall intelligence.

Prettiness… Well, Obito did agree many Uchiha clan members were pretty, but still! To tell him that to his face was pretty rude!

* * *

"Ichi-san, I think no one in class likes me," Obito confessed after the second week.

"Why do you think they don't like you?" Ichiro asked.

"They always tell me I'm different from the other Uchihas, so maybe that's why."

"That's very silly of them."

"Yeah, but I wanna be friends with them!"

* * *

After the first month, Obito decided he was going to smash every stereotype his clan faced on a daily basis. According to some students, he wasn't pretty, so that's one stereotype down.

All Uchihas have feline grace. They have the best throwing average. They don't smile, they don't laugh. They don't know how to have fun. They're arrogant and proud.

Obito tripped on purpose and missed on purpose. He threw his weapons weird to reinforce his difference. He smiled like Mizushi-san and laughed loudly like granny. He played games and dressed in paint splattered clothes. He tried to copy Ichiro's gentle manner (key word: tried).

* * *

Overall, it made the other students avoid him even more. Perhaps it wasn't the greatest idea. But too late now. It'd been a couple years.

One day during physical training, Obito tripped. That time wasn't on purpose. He stumbled and caught himself before eating dirt. As he was picking himself up, he heard a scoff behind him.

It was that Hatake Kakashi kid. He heard about his dad, the White Fang. Ichiro really looked up to the hero despite the majority of Konoha scorning the poor man.

Hatake looked down at him with condescension and anger. Why was he so angry?

* * *

Obito made effort to avoid Hatake. The kid kinda scared him, all spiky and angry with hate just rolling off his shoulders. Not a happy kid. At all.

Then, just a couple weeks later, he almost hit Hatake while juggling. Obito was regretting waking up the morning but rolled with it. He could deal with it. Hatake was just a kid! What's the worst that could happen?

"Aaahh, sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to nearly impale you," Obito decided on a loose tone. And Hatake looked at him like Ichiro looked at meat.

Definitely _not_ good.

* * *

Obito would never believe what happened next. Hatake, the ball of lightning and anger and hate and spite, offered to help him. And all that hate and anger seemed to have just disappeared! What happened?!

* * *

Obito was glad though. Hatake Kakashi was his friend. And through him, Nohara Rin and Maito Gai become his friends too!

Hatake always looked at him like a ghost (at Nohara too). He always looked through Obito, not really seeing him. Hatake was always surprised when he did something. Looking at him like Obito shouldn't have done that because it was wrong in some way.

It bothered Obito, but he was happy to have a friend.

* * *

 **Extra 4** : Did somebody say SEQUEL?!

Someone mentioned a possible sequel. I'm so flattered they are interested in a continuation of this :D

I wasn't thinking about it, but since it was mentioned, I got some ideas.

So here's some ideas I have floating around.

* * *

"Dad, who's the person who comes here sometimes? He wears the police uniform."

"That's Obito."

"He nevers stays for long. Or ever comes inside."

"He's… an interesting character."

"Can I meet him next time?"

* * *

"Hey, do you think it's insensitive to eat takoyaki in front of Killer B?"

"Mitara-"

"Anko, that's a great question. Let's go ask him."

"Obito, stop enabling her."

* * *

"Obito."

"Yes, Fugaku-sama!"

"Chakra flaring is a thing that exists so that you don't have to scream and wake everyone up."

"I panicked."

"... Work on that, please."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

"Oh! Hello, Hokage-sama."

"Iruka-sensei! How are you doing? How are your students doing?"

"I'm doing fine, thank you. The students are doing fine as well. In fact, the girls seem to be even more motivated than ever!"

"Oh? What's changed?"

"I think someone started a rumor that Sasuke likes strong and motivated girls. It's also had an effect on the boys too. I'm not sure where the rumor came from though."

"Ah. Actually, I think I know."

* * *

"You've got amazing control over your chakra. It's something to be proud of."

"R-really?"

"Yeah. And, I've got an offer for you. Wanna hear it?"

"What is it?"

"I have a friend who's a field medic. She's capable of both combat and healing. She said she's willing to take on an intern for two months. If you're interested in what she does, you can study under her on top of training with Team 7. Up to you."

"I…"

* * *

"You!"

"Hmph, so you do recognize me."

"You're the kitty!"

"Awoiefjdkslamc- EXCUSE ME?!"

"Yeah, the big blue one!"

"I AM NII YUGITO! HOW DARE YOU REFER TO-"

"Can I give you a hug and a kiss?!"

"NO!"

* * *

"Obito's my favorite cousin."

"How come?"

"Fugaku-sama! I've come with gifts for the children under your roof!"

"He's fun to be around."

* * *

"Obito, do you know why I called you here?"

"Is it because I tried to hug and kiss the two-tail's host?"

"No, but we'll talk about that at another time. It's because you tried to run off to Kiri the moment you heard Momochi Zabuza was reinstated to, I quote, 'trade Super Ninja Battle cards' with him."

"I was excited."

"Why do you even think he has a child's card set?"

"He has that vibe, ya know."

* * *

And there you go! This is the end (for now?). Hope I didn't leave anything out. Byeeee.


End file.
